White Idiyappam / வெள்ளை இடியப்பம்
Idiyappam is a common meal eaten for dinner in Sri Lanka. In English, you might know this as string hoppers. I grew up having this almost once a week and with the amount of sides available (potato curry, sambol, sothi, and more!), you’ll never get tired of it.
Generally, idiyappam is made using red rice flour. However, with steamed all-purpose flour, you can make idiyappam softer. White idiyappam was my sister’s favorite growing up. My mom didn’t make it often, but when she did, it felt like a special occasion.
White Idiyappam
Equipment
- Idiyappam Steamer
- Idiyappam Thattu
- Idiyappam Ural
Ingredients
- 4 cups Steamed All-Purpose Flour (அவித்த கோதுமை மா) Steam and sift the flour, so there are no large chunks
- 4 cups Water (தண்ணீர்)
- pinch Salt (உப்பு)
Instructions
Preparing the Idiyappam
- Boil water in a pot. Once the water boils, add a pinch of salt.
- In a bowl, add steamed all-purpose flour.
- Let the boiling water cool a bit to where there is little to no steam. Add the water to the bowl, little by little and mix using a wooden spoon until you get the right consistency. It should be slightly dry and not too wet. You may not need all of the water and will likely use about 3 cups worth.
- After it cools a bit, mix with your hand to make the dough. It should be soft, not dry and not wet.
- Add a small amount to an idiyappam ural. Press the top part of the ural down while hovering over an idiyappam thattu and moving in a circular motion. I usually move in a counter-clockwise motion 1 time around the outer circle of the thattu and then close the inner circle of the thattu.
Cooking the Idiyappam
- Add water to the idiyappam steamer and boil on high heat. The steamer is ready once you see steam or hear the whistle going off. At this point, lower to medium heat.
- Add about 5-6 idiyappam thattus to cook. The first batch might take 3-4 minutes before it whistles, indicating the idiyappam is ready. Subsequent batches should cook in about 2 minutes.
- Take the idiyappam off the thattu while it's hot to avoid sticking.
- Serve and enjoy!