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Monday, April 18, 2011

Rice And Finger Millet Flour "String Hoppers"

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Hello, I am back after a week of laying low. Well, I was gearing up to post for 7 consecutive days. Yes, I will be doing one a day, every day for a week with posts that are Kid-Friendly..especially my son-friendly. He is a very fussy preschooler but he has a few favorite(s) -- anything noodle-y, anything colorful, anything soft and fluffy, anything with unusual patterns, anything burger-y, anything deep-fried(Uh-Oh) and anything stuffed[just like Mama, :-)]. So here is one of his favorite -- Noodle-y and pleasing to the eye- Its a traditional South-Indian dish called "Idiyappam"  that translates to "String Hoppers". If you remember you should know that I have admitted a mighty strong weakness for String Hoppers in one of my previous posts.My son is no different. "An apple doesn't fall far from its tree" holds true, especially  in this case. :-)
The sauce/side-dish for the string hoppers can be sweet or spicy but my son likes the former. Yup, he is all for it if the hoppers are dunked in a sweet sauce made with warm milk + unrefined sugar(Jaggery/Panela), topped with fresh grated coconut and ghee-fried cashews. Be warned: the divine combo of hoppers, sweet sauce, coconut and nuts will incite a conflagration of hunger for more that even my picky eating son succumbs.. Every-time!
This is my post for Day1 of "Blogging Marathon #4".
Ingredients:(Makes ~ 16 Discs)
  • 1 Cup Finger Millet Flour "Ragi Flour"
  • 1 Cup Rice Flour
  • 1/4 Tsp Salt
  • 1-1/2 Cups Boiling Water +  more as needed
  • 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
For the Sauce:
Option1:
  • 3 Cups Skimmed Milk
  • 1 Cup Unrefined Sugar/Jaggery/Panela, crumbled
Option2:
  • 2 Cups Milk
  • 1/4 Cup Packed Brown Sugar or more/less
For the Garnish:
  • 1/4 Cups Cashew
  • 1 Tbsp Store-bought or Homemade Ghee "Clarified Butter" or Unsalted Butter
  • 2 Tbsp Fresh/Frozen Grated Coconut
Tool:
  • Idiyappam Press (I used authentic wooden Idiyappam press that has 2 parts. Bottom part has a cavity to stuff the flour and the top part is a press that pushes down on the flour to make noodles) Or Pasta maker ( I haven't tried with a pasta maker though)
 Procedure:
  • Sift the rice and ragi flour  in a shallow bowl. Add the salt and stir to incorporate.
  • Bring 2-3 Cups of water to a roiling boil. Initially pour 1-1/2 Cups of water and quickly using a wooden-spoon handle stir. Add 2-3 tbsp more or if needed. The flour should clump together but not/never soggy. Quickly cover the bowl and let the flour absorb the water for 10 minutes.
  • Once the flour is warm enough to be handled with hands, knead it gently along with a tbsp of olive oil to form a smooth ball. Divide the dough into small portions to fit the Idiyappam tool(for a detailed step-by-step check this link) and squeeze the strings directly on any flat plate/Idli Mould. The String Hoppers need to be steamed for 10-12 minutes.
  • After 12 minutes of steaming, remove the String Hoppers to a bowl.
  • Repeat the above 2 steps until the dough is completely used-up.
  • To Make the sauce: Use Option1 or Option 2 to make the sauce. I used Option1 for this post - using unrefined sugar to make the sauce.
  • Add a cup of crumbled unrefined sugar to milk and cook only till its dissolved into the milk. The sauce doesn't have to be thick.
  • Brown the cashews with a tbsp of ghee or butter. Move a portion of String Hoppers on a plate and pour a portion of warm milk-sugar sauce over it. Garnish with fresh or frozen grated coconut and a sprinkling of browned cashews. Sit back and Savor.
Check out the Blogging Marathoners doing (Group 3) BM#4 along with me-

Diabetes Diet/Management: Kamalika, Smitha, Suma
Kid Friendly Recipes: Anusha, Cool Lassi(e)
Seven Days of Soup: Priya Suresh
Seven Days of Indian Bread: Jayasree, Pavani
Seven Days of Cakes:  Priya Vasu
Seven Days of Preserves: Gayathri Kumar, Vaishali
30 Minutes Meals: Priya Mahadevan, Sriv

Note:
  • Hoppers can be made with just Rice flour alone. The sweet sauce can be made with granulated sugar and milk for the white hoppers. Check the recipe for "Rice Flour String Hoppers"-

Enjoy!
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    37 comments:

    1. extremely healthy and inviting.Kids will love with that amazing garnish..

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    2. Super presentation and super awesome dish - I make finger millet idlis all the time now - making sevai noodles will be my next challenge - two thumbs up dear :)

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    3. This is just awesome!! Can the idiyappam be prepared in the murukku press too??

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    4. @harini: Although I have never tried to make hoppers in a murukku press, it can be done as well. the hoppers will have to be steamed longer if they are thicker! Plus the Ragi taste might be a little overwhelming..but am not sure. Do give it a try.

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    5. wow...they look amazing girl..I will also have to try with murruku press....I love ragi noodles or semiya when made like upma...looks very yumm with coconut and jaggery!...I can only drool! :)
      Smitha
      Smitha's Spicy Flavors

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    6. I know its a bit tedious process but tastes just yummy!!!
      looks really delicious n healthy..:)

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    7. I love this so so much... i am going nostalgic my mom during my school kids often makes this one..in a similar way... love it...

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    8. I love this so so much... i am going nostalgic my mom during my school kids often makes this one..in a similar way... love it...

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    9. Idiyappams are very healthy! Love the squiggly-ness especially!

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    10. Its been sometime since I made raagi idiyappam..Thanks for reminding. Liked the idea of serving with the milk+jaggery sauce. Its new to me. Lovely presentation.

      I liked the new template expecially the rustic wooden background.

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    11. Healthy and yummy breakfast..lovely presentation dear.

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    12. yummy...... luks so delicious.. very tempting clicks!!! thx 4 sharing

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    13. Highly addictive and nutritious string hoppers,wonderful platter..welcome to BM.

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    14. looks amazingly mouthwatering..tempting n yummy..

      Sanyukta
      http://creativesanyukta.blogspot.com/

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    15. They look so tempting CL. Love the gravy specially. Drooling over here :)

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    16. i can almost taste the sweetness..yumm it looks.i havent had an idiaappam in ages..and i mean AGES

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    17. Great blog. Glad I stopped by. Hope to see you at My Dream Canvas.

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    18. One of my all time fav , your have made it very healthy

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    19. Awesome pictures CL..I love idiappams..:)..glad you joined the marathon. I am looking forward to your posts.

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    20. Those look great. What a lovely texture!

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    21. Wow, those "string hoppers" look absolutely delicious. I'm sure my noodle loving 3 year old, would finish these in matter of minutes. Yummy pics too.

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    22. வாவ்...ரொம்ப ரொம்ப சூப்பராக இருக்கு கூல்...எனக்கு ரொம்ப பிடித்து இருக்கு..

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    23. Idiyappam looks so delicious. Ragi makes it more nutritious..

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    24. This is looking super delicious...and is super healthy too..would love to give this a try.

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    25. AWESOME ....CL.. I love all your pics ... the recipe too ...

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    26. that looks really nice...i had forgotten they were called "string hoppers"....:)

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    27. yummy dish..sauce with jaggery and mik is new to me

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    28. 2 மாவும் சேர்த்து இடியாப்பம் செய்திருப்பது நல்லாயிருக்கு கூல்!!

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    Thanks a bunch for your valuable comments and continued support.They are very much appreciated. Yes,like "Rain on Dry Land" and like "Oasis in Desert Sand".
    XoXo, Cool Lassi(e)