Idiyappam Recipe

Idiyappam Recipe with step by step pictures. Soft idiyappam also known as String hoppers or Nool puttu made with rice flour, salt, oil and hot water. Basically it looks like seviyan or sevai made using a special idiyappam maker. Along with puttu and appam, idiyappam is a popular breakfast in kerala. Serve this vegan and gluten free breakfast dish with coconut chutney, kurma or chicken curry. For sweet breakfast, enjoy idiyappam with coconut milk, sugar or jaggery.

Idiyappam Recipe (String Hoppers Recipe)

Amma makes the best idiyappam. We usually have this at least once a week either for breakfast or for dinner. Amma is pure vegetarian, she serves idiyappam with either coconut chutney or kurma. But after marriage my husband prefer to have it with chicken gravy or chettinad mutton curry.

About Idiyappam Recipe

Idiyappam is known as nool puttu or string hoppers. It is a popular breakfast dish from kerala. It is one of our family favorite breakfast dish which is very healthy since it is steam cooked. Making soft idiyappam requires some basic ingredients and few tips and tricks which I have shared in this post. Make sure you read the full recipe post, step by step pictures and watch the video for clear understanding.

Idiyappam is made with rice flour, oil, salt and hot water. The dough is then placed in a special idiyappam maker and the string hopper is extracted and then steam cooked.

Traditionally idiyappam is made with rice flour, thus the recipe shown here for how to make idiyappam using rice flour. If you want a variation, you can check my different version of idiyappam made with wheat flour, ragi or millet flour.

Idiyappam can be served with coconut chutney, veg kurma, chicken curry, mutton kuzhambu, sodhi kuzhambu.

Watch Idiyappam Recipe Video

Idiyappam Maker

To make idiyappam you need a special machine which is used to make this. It has a funnel like body and a spiral twirl press which you turn to extract the string hoppers. Finding a best idiyappam maker can be quite tough. The one which I use shown above is my mother in law's idiyappam maker which is more than 50 years old.

The idiyappam dough made with rice flour, salt and hot water is placed inside the maker and pressed. Idiyappam maker is available in market or online shops, you can find different type of makers made with steel, wood and brass.

Idiyappam Ingredients

Rice Flour - I use store bought rice flour to make idiyappam but readymade idiyappam flour is available in the market as well. I prefer slightly roasted, fine rice flour for making soft nool puttu.

Sesame Oil - Little amount of ghee or sesame oil is added in the idiyappam dough for making it non sticky.

Hot Water - For making soft idiyappam, you have to use hot boiling water which is very important. Using warm water or cold water will affect the texture. Hot boiling water will cook the rice flour partially and makes soft nool puttu.

How to Steam Idiyappam

Idiyappam is a healthy steamed breakfast dish made with rice flour. Idiyappam maavu is made with rice flour, oil and hot water. The rice flour dough is placed in idiyappam maker and pressed on banana leaf or bamboo idiyappam plates and steamed. String hoppers can be steamed in many different ways.

Bamboo Idiyappam Plate

Palm Leaf Plate is a traditional method that is following till the day today. The Plate enhances the smell of the food that is prepared and also encourage the taste of the food. It is recommended to grease the plate with some oil and steam the plates before using is to avoid the sticky nature of the BAMBOO plates. 

Banana Leaf & Steamer

This is traditional method to steam idiyappam using banana leaf. My mom used to cut out pieces of banana leaf and use that as plates. You can place multiple banana leaf inside a steamer and steam. Banana leaf acts as a natural non sticky surface so you don't need to grease with oil.

Idli Maker & Idiyappam steamer

This is the easy and much straight forward method to steam idiyappam. Grease idli plates with oil and press nool puttu straight into the plate and steam.

How to Make Idiyappam Recipe (String Hoppers)

Idiyappam Dough

Bring water to a full boil. Take rice flour in a bowl. Add salt to it and mix well. Pour hot water over it and mix well. Once it starts to come together, cover the bowl with a lid and let it sit for 5 mins. After 5 mins, add one tablespoon of ghee or sesame oil and knead to form it into a soft dough. Cover the dough with wet cloth and set aside.

Making Idiyappam

Now take your string hopper maker and fill it with the dough. Oil the idli plates as well(if you want) Spin the idiyappam maker so that you will press the idiyappam dough as threads over it.

Steaming Idiyappam 

Stack the plate and place inside idli maker and steam it for 8 to 10 mins. Remove once steamed and serve with chutney or tomato curry.

Expert Tips

1. You have to use hot boiling water to make idiyappam dough. If you use warm water or cold water which affects the soft idiyappam texture.
2. Pour hot water over the rice flour and mix it well. leave for few minutes till it cools a little. Once it gets warm enough to handle, you can use your hands to knead till soft.
3. For steaming you can use banana leaf, idiyappam bamboo plates, greased idiyappam plates or idli plates.

How to Make Idiyappam (Stepwise Pictures)

1)Bring water to a rolling boil. For making soft idiyappam, you have to use hot boiling water which is very important. Using warm water or cold water will affect the texture. Hot boiling water will cook the rice flour partially and makes soft nool puttu.

2)Take rice flour in a bowl. I used store bought rice flour, you can use homemade rice flour as well.

3)Add in salt.

4)Mix well using a spoon.

5)Pour hot water over it and mix well.

6)Use a spoon of form to mix it gently. The rice flour should be combined with the hot water.

7)Once it starts to come together, cover the bowl with a lid and let it sit for 5 mins.

8)After 5 mins, add one tablespoon of ghee or sesame oil and knead to form it into a soft dough.

9)Cover the dough with wet cloth and set aside.

10)Now take your string hopper maker and fill it with the dough.

11)Oil the idli plates as well(if you want) Spin the idiyappam maker so that you will press the idiyappam dough as threads over it.

12)Now you have to place the idli plates inside the steamer.

13)Steam for 8 to 10 minutes.

14)Idiyappam is cooked.

15)Done.

16)Serve idiyappam with coconut chutney, tomato kurma or chicken curry.

More Idiyappam Recipes to try

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