Stuffed Sweet Idiyappam / String hopper

Idiyappam / Stringhopper is a traditional dish of SouthIndia especially in chettinad cusine.  Idiyappam gets easily digested as it is steamed and it is perfect for breakfast or as a snack. This one has a sweet filling. You can also make plain idiyappam without the coconutfilling and serve it with vegetable kurma or any other spicy gravy. Other chettinad cusine recipes are Aappam, Kara paniyaram(Savoury version), Karupatti paniyaram(Sweet version), Pal paniyaram.

There is other version of idiyappam that is prepared by soaking and grinding parboiled rice known as Sevai (in Tamil). Will share the recipe in the upcoming blogposts.

Ingredients:

Rawrice flour – 1 cup

Grated coconut – 3/4 cup

Powdered jaggery – 1/2 cup

Cardamom – 2 nos

Water – 1 1/4 cups to 1 1/2 cups

Salt – a pinch

Method:

1. Mix the grated coconut, powdered jaggery and crushed cardamom pods together. This is the filling for idiyappam. Keep this aside.
2. Heat 1 1/2 cups of water in a pan with a pinch of salt.
3. When small bubbles starts to appear at the bottom of the pan, switch off the flame. Donot allow to rolling boil. It should be just about to boil. This is the correct stage at which the hot water should be mixed to the rawrice flour.
4. In a mixing bowl, take the raw rice flour and add the hot water little by little.
5. Mix well the flour with hot water without any lumps and it will reach a dough like consistency. It requires 1 1/4 cups of water. If the dough is to tight , you can add little more hot water.
6. Once it reaches a dough like consistency, cover it with a wet cloth or a lid. The dough should not get dried.
7. Now take the idiyappam / stringhopper press and fill the press with dough.
8. Grease the idli plate and press a single layer of idiyappam dough in each idli slot.
9. Keep one or two tbsp of coconut filling above it and layer it with idiyappam strings such that it completely covers the filling.
   

   

   
10. Repeat the similar process in each idli slot and transfer the idli plate to the idli steamer  and cook for 2 to 3 mins.
11. After steaming, rest the idli plate for few mins to cool and then remove the idiyappam.
12. Now stuffed sweet idiyappam is ready to be served.

Note:

• Instead of jaggery powder, you can add sugar.
• If the water is allowed to rolling boil, then the dough will get cooked too much and it will be difficult for you to press. Even if the water is not heated well, then the idiyappam will turn too dry. So, we have to be little bit cautious to get soft stringhopper.