Homemade Hoppers
Submitted by stelladias77
Homemade hoppers, the iconic Sri Lankan bowl-shaped crepe made from a fermented rice flour and coconut milk batter. Lacy-crisp at the edges, soft and spongy in the center, ready for curry, jam, or butter.
YIELD
20 servingsPREP
60 minCOOK
20 minREADY
90 minIf you’ve eaten breakfast in Sri Lanka, you know hoppers, called appa. These thin, bowl-shaped pancakes have crackly, lace-thin edges and a soft, spongy center, and they’re as much about the shape as the flavor.
The batter is built on rice flour and rich coconut milk, kicked off with a little yeast and sugar. An hour of resting lets it ferment, which gives hoppers their faint sourdough tang and the bubbles that make the center spongy.
The signature shape comes from the pan. You pour a ladle of batter into a hot round-bottomed pan or wok, then swirl it so the batter climbs and clings to the sides, thin at the rim and pooled in the middle.
Cover and cook until the edges turn golden and crisp while the base stays tender.
Serve them hot for breakfast or dinner with curry, a spoon of sambol, or simply jam and butter.
Kitchen Tips
- Give the batter the full hour to ferment; that rise is what makes hoppers light and spongy.
- Season the pan well with an oiled cloth and keep the heat at medium so the edges crisp without burning.
- Swirl quickly the moment the batter hits the pan, before it sets, to get those thin lacy edges.
- Loosen with a splash of coconut milk if the batter thickens too much as it sits.
Variations
- Crack an egg into the center mid-cook for a classic egg hopper.
- Sweeten the batter a little more and serve with treacle for a dessert hopper.
- Sprinkle the center with grated coconut and sugar before covering.
Ingredients
Directions
Sift the flour. Mix yeast, sugar and water in a measuring cup or a small bowl. Leave 10 minutes until frothy.
Add the rice flour into large bowl, add yeast mixture and ¾ cup of coconut milk. Mix well. Knead by hand for 10 minutes, or you can use mixer for about 2 minutes. The batter should be thick.
Cover the batter and allow to rise for 1 hour. Then add remaining milk and egg. Mix well. Add salt. (Batter should look like pan cake batter now)
Heat a round bottom pan or wok on medium heat. Use an oiled cloth or kitchen towel to rub the hot pan thoroughly.
Pour ladle of batter into the pan and turn the pan constantly so that batter covers evenly and sticks to the sides of the pan. Cover with the lid and cook on medium heat.
After 2 to 3 minutes, edges have become golden and the center is soft and spongy. Carefully loosen the edge, using a wooden flat spoon or butter knife. Serve with curry, jam or butter. Enjoy.
See my website www. stellarecipe. webs. com
Comments
Thank you so much for sharing. Going to give it a try.
Thank you for your recipe. 2 weeks back made it with roasted rice flour. Came well. Today I'm making it for 2nd time.
Was good but how long does it take to cook if I crack an egg on top?