Best Hoppers Recipes

SRI LANKAN FRIED CHICKEN & HOPPERS

Steps:

• To prepare the chicken, tip the coconut milk into a jug and stir in the garlic, spices and 1 tsp salt. Put the chicken in a plastic container or roasting tin and pour over the brine mix to cover. Cover with cling film and chill for 24 hrs.
• For the hoppers, put the rice flour in a large bowl. In a jug, combine 125ml water with the yeast and sugar, and leave for about 8 mins until you see some foaming. Pour in the coconut milk and whisk the wet ingredients into the rice flour to make a smooth batter, slightly thinner than pancake batter. Season, cover and allow to ferment overnight in the fridge.
• To make the kiri hodi, put all the ingredients (except the coconut milk, lime juice and spinach) in a heavy-based saucepan. Add 1 tbsp water and simmer over a low heat for 5 mins or until the onion softens. Pour in the coconut milk and cook for a further 1-2 mins (do not boil). Tip in the spinach, stir until wilted, then remove from the heat. Season to taste with salt and add the lime juice.
• To make the sambol, use a pestle and mortar or mini processor to grind the onions with the chillies, a big pinch of salt and smoked paprika, to form a coarse paste. Season with lime juice and more salt, if needed.
• To cook, remove the chicken and hoppers mix from the fridge for about 1 hr so they come to room temperature. To cook the chicken, heat the oil in a deep-fat fryer or saucepan until it reaches 180C on a cooking thermometer. To make the fried chicken coating, combine all the ingredients with 1/4 tsp salt in a bowl. Piece by piece, remove the chicken from its brine, allow the excess to drip off, then dredge it in the coating. Shake off the excess and fry in the oil for 6-8 mins until cooked through. Drain on kitchen paper, then rest in a low oven while you make the hoppers.
• Make the hoppers. Whisk your hoppers base to remove any lumps. Add a splash more water to thin it if needed. Heat a non-stick frying pan, a hopper pan or small high-sided wok and brush on some rapeseed oil with kitchen paper. Add a ladle of mix to the pan and immediately swirl it around and up the edges to create a bowl-shaped pancake. Cook for 1 min, then add an egg and cover with a lid. Cook for 2-3 mins more until the egg is cooked and the edges are starting to brown. Repeat with the remaining batter and eggs. Serve the hoppers with the chicken, sambol and kiri hodi.

HOPPERS

Steps:

• In a jug or bowl, dissolve the yeast in 50ml warm water and leave to bubble for 15 mins.
• Put the flour and sugar in a bowl with a pinch of salt. Add the coconut water and milk, whisking continuously to avoid lumps, then add the yeast mixture and mix until you have a smooth batter. Cover with cling film and leave to ferment for 2 hrs.
• When it's time to cook the hoppers, whisk the base mixture to remove any lumps. It should be the consistency of double cream, so add a splash more coconut water to thin it if needed. Heat a lidded, non-stick frying pan or small, lidded, high-sided wok until very hot and brush on a little sesame oil with kitchen paper. Add a ladleful of mixture to the pan and immediately swirl it around and up the edges to create a bowl-shaped pancake. Cook, uncovered, for 1 min, then cover with a lid. Cook for 2-3 mins more until the edges are starting to crisp and the base is cooked through. Remove and set aside, then repeat with the remaining batter. Serve with the cauliflower curry, leek seeni sambol and chutney (see goes well with).

APPAM OR SRI LANKAN HOPPERS

Steps:

• Pre task - soak the raw rice in lukewarm water for about 3 hours or longer. If you don't have any cooked rice boil some now. Boil approximately 50g rice.
• In a mug combine the yeast with the sugar in warm water and allow it to rest until it's beginning to bubble up. This should be approximately 10 minutes.
• Using a food processor whizz the cooked rice and the coconut milk or the fresh coconut and add a little water until it becomes a thick batter.
• Add the salt, the yeast mixture to the rice and whizz continuously until all combined.
• Take a glass bowl out and transfer the batter. Cover with a lid or clingfilm and it to ferment. Ideally overnight. 6-8 hours.
• The batter should be runny but not too watery so adjust its consistency by adding more water and/or some more coconut milk.
• Pour the batter in a jug or a smoothie bottle ( I find it easier to handle).
• Place the appam pan or the appachetty on fire, when this is slightly hot pour in some batter (the amount or quantity of a small ladle). Move the pan in a circular motion so that the batter is spread around on the edges as high as this permits.
• Add an egg in the centre (the batter is thicker but don't worry, it's as it should be) and cook for about 2 minutes covered. Cook until the egg it's cooked. This can be made hard or left soft depending on preferences.
• Serve while hot with sambol, chutney, any curry or a nice dhal.