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    Home / Dinner / String Hoppers

    String Hoppers

    Delicate nests of steamed rice noodles, light and springy, made to soak up curry and coconut milk at breakfast or dinner.

    ⏱ 25 minPrep time
    🔥 15 minCook time
    🍽 4Servings
    🏷 DinnerCategory
    ☆☆☆☆☆No ratings yet
    String Hoppers — steamed rice noodle nests

    String hoppers, or idiyappam, are steamed coils of rice dough pressed through a mold, a staple of Tamil and Sri Lankan kitchens for generations. They show up at breakfast with sweet coconut milk or under a ladle of dinner curry, and they are the thing grandmothers press by hand while the steamer hums. Making them at home takes a simple mold, roasted rice flour, and a light touch. Freshly pressed nests steam in minutes, so they are faster than they look, and the mold, a small perforated disc with a hand press, earns its place in the pantry.

    Nests of noodles made for soaking up curry

    The noodles are feathery and delicate with just enough chew, acting like tiny sponges for gravy, and the roasted flour gives them a faint, toasty nuttiness that plain flour cannot match. They are light enough for breakfast yet sturdy enough for a full curry dinner. Serve them warm with dhal curry, chicken curry, or a bowl of sweet coconut milk.

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    Step by stepInstructions

    1. Bring the water to a rolling boil. In a large bowl, mix the roasted rice flour and salt, then pour in the boiling water and the coconut oil.
    2. Stir with a wooden spoon until cool enough to handle, then knead into a smooth, soft dough, adding a little hot water if it cracks.
    3. Pack the dough into a string hopper press and press onto small, lightly greased hopper baskets or rounds of parchment, forming neat coils.
    4. Sprinkle a little grated coconut over each nest.
    5. Set the baskets in a steamer over boiling water and steam for 5 to 7 minutes, until the noodles look set and glossy.
    6. Lift the nests onto a plate and serve immediately with curry or sweetened coconut milk.

    💡 Chef tips & storage

    Roasted rice flour is essential; regular rice flour makes brittle noodles. If the dough is too dry the noodles will crumble, so add water a tablespoon at a time until it comes together like soft play dough.

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    Recipe details

    Prep25 min
    Cook15 min
    Servings4
    CategoryDinner
    PublishedAugust 17, 2026
    Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes

    Hi, I'm Emily 🧡

    Hi, I'm Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes. Simple, tested comfort food for real weeknights, written down the way grandma would. Pull up a chair. More about me →

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