Hoppers (appam)

Bowl-shaped, lacy-edged pancakes made from fermented rice batter and coconut milk, crisp at the rim and soft in the center. Often cooked with an egg in the middle.

Hoppers (appam)

Appam - அப்பம்: VinPrasad, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Where it comes from

Hoppers, or appa, are a Sri Lankan favorite for breakfast or dinner, and similar pancakes called appam are loved in South India. They are cooked in a small curved pan that gives the bowl shape.

Explore the cuisine of Sri Lanka.

Recipe

Make Hoppers (appam) at home

Serves 4Time 30 minutes plus fermenting

Ingredients

  • 2 cups rice flour
  • 1 tsp instant yeast
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1 cup coconut milk
  • 1 cup warm water
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • Pinch of baking soda
  • Eggs for egg hoppers
  • Oil for the pan
  • Lunu miris or curry for serving

How it's made

  1. Mix yeast, sugar and warm water and let it foam.
  2. Combine with rice flour, coconut milk and salt to form a thin batter.
  3. Cover and ferment 6 to 8 hours.
  4. Stir in a pinch of baking soda.
  5. Heat a small curved pan, grease lightly and pour in a ladle of batter.
  6. Swirl to coat sides, cover and cook 2 to 3 minutes.
  7. Crack in an egg if desired and serve with sambol.

Variations

  • Egg hopper.
  • Sweet hopper with jaggery.
  • String hoppers, steamed rice noodles.

Cook’s tip: Swirl the batter quickly so the sides are thin and lacy while the center stays soft.

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About this page

Description and method written by Intercontinental Chef. Home-style method; quantities are a starting point, so adjust to taste.

Photo credit
  • Appam - அப்பம்: VinPrasad, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)