Idiyappam

Idiyappam.

Idiyappam is a South Indian dish that looks like steamed noodles, also called string hoppers. Rice flour is made into dough with hot water. The dough is then pressed with a muruku maker to form strings / noodles. These are then steamed to prepare idiyappam.
Makes: around 4 Servings of Idiyappam.

Ingredients:

Rice Flour 1 Cup
Grated Coconut 1 tbsp (optional)
Salt to taste
Oil 1 tsp

Method of preparation:

In a mixing bowl, add rice flour, oil and a pinch of salt.

Bring a cup of water to boil and remove from heat.
Slowly pour the hot water into the mixing bowl and mix with a spoon.
When the mixture is warm enough to handle, knead the rice flour into a soft dough.
Divide the dough into two or more portions.
Place one portion of dough into muruku maker.

Grease the idly mold with few drops of oil and sprinkle few pinches of grated coconut on each mould.
Press the muruku maker and move it in circular motions for the dough to form strings into the idly mold.
Cut the strings when the mold is full.
Repeat the same with remaining dough and fill the muruku maker with the dough.

Steam the idly mold in a closed pot of boiling water for 6 – 10 minutes.
Remove the idiyappam onto a serving plate and serve with any gravy curry like a vegetable stew or chickpeas curry or potato curry etc.
Notes: For thinner strings, use the plate with much smaller perforations, in which case the squeezing of muruku maker becomes little tough.

Suggestions: If the idiyappam is too soft, steam the idiyappam for few more minutes. If the idiyappam comes out too hard, they must have been over steamed.
Variations: You can lightly roast the rice flour if you wish.
Other Names: String Hoppers, Idiyappam, Noolappam, Noolputtu.