Hoppers (Appa)

About This Recipe

Hoppers (appam in Tamil, appa in Sinhala) are Sri Lanka's most distinctive breakfast food and one of the great rice-based preparations of South Asia. The batter is made from rice flour, coconut milk, and a fermentation starter (toddy or yeast), fermented overnight to develop flavor and give the characteristic slight sourness. They are cooked in a small rounded wok that gives them their distinctive bowl shape — crispy, lacy edges that shatter when touched and a soft, almost custardy center (in egg hoppers, an egg is cracked inside as it cooks). Hoppers are eaten with coconut sambol, dhal curry, and seeni sambol (caramelized onion relish).

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 200 grice flour
• 400 mlcoconut milk
• 1 tspinstant yeast
• 1 tspsugar
• 1/2 tspsalt
• 4 largeeggs(for egg hoppers)
• 100 mlcoconut milk(extra, for coconut sambol)
• 50 gdesiccated coconut(for coconut sambol)
• 1 tspchili flakes(for sambol)

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the batter

   Combine rice flour, coconut milk, yeast, sugar, and salt. Mix until smooth. Rest in a warm place for 2–4 hours until slightly bubbly.

2. 2

   Make coconut sambol

   Mix desiccated coconut with chili, a pinch of salt, and a squeeze of lime. Add extra coconut milk for moisture.

3. 3

   Cook the hoppers

   Heat a small rounded wok or hopper pan over medium heat. Add a ladle of batter. Quickly swirl to coat the sides. Cover and cook 2–3 minutes until edges are crispy and center is set.

4. 4

   Make egg hoppers

   After swirling the batter, crack an egg into the center before covering. Cook until white is set and yolk is still runny.

Variations

• •

  String hoppers (idiyappam) are made by pressing the batter through a mold to create rice noodle nests

• •

  Add a teaspoon of brown sugar to the batter for sweet milk hoppers

Storage

Batter keeps 1 day refrigerated after fermentation. Best cooked fresh — hoppers don't reheat well.

Frequently Asked Questions