Hoppers have put a Sri Lankan twist on the classic pancake. It can take a bit of practice to get right but once you get the hang of them you’ll be rewarded with some of the tastiest pancakes you’ve ever eaten. Enjoy them for breakfast or with a dollop of ice cream as a decadent dessert.
NEED TO KNOW
Cooking & Prep Time: 40 minutes, plus overnight soaking and 6-7 hours fermenting
Serves: 2
Difficulty: Intermediate
INGREDIENTS
- 600g raw short grain white rice
- 50g boiled short grain white rice
- 100g grated coconut (fresh or frozen)
- 100ml water, approx
- 3g dried instant yeast
- 2tsp granulated sugar
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp sea salt (or to taste)
- 120ml coconut milk
- 5 tbsp jaggery, powdered or grated
METHOD FOR THE OATS
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Wash the raw rice 5-6 times or until the water runs clear, and then soak it overnight.
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Drain the rice and grind it in a blender or smoothie maker with the boiled rice and grated coconut, adding about 475ml of warm water. It should be the consistency of a thick cake
batter. -
Dissolve the sugar and yeast in 2 tablespoons of water. Add this to the batter and mix well.
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Allow to ferment for 6-7 hours in a warm place or until the batter becomes frothy and has a slightly fermented but sweet aroma.
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Once ready to cook your hoppers, add salt and baking powder into the batter and mix well.
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Then add enough water to dilute it to a thick custard consistency.
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Heat a hopper pan or wok on a medium heat. Add a ladle of the hopper batter and swirl around once so the batter coats the pan and is thin at the edges whilst slightly thicker in the middle where the excess batter pools. Cover the pan and cook for 1 minute.
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Drizzle 2 tablespoons of coconut milk and half a tablespoon of jaggery around the centre of the hopper and cook covered for 2-3 minutes until the edges are slightly brown and the centre fully set. Release the hopper from the pan with a palette knife and slide it onto a plate.
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Serve alongside some seeni or pol sambol and your favourite curry.
Recipe by Karan Gokani from Hoppers