Idiyappam / String hopper is made of rice flour, salt and water. It is generally served as the main course at breakfast or dinner together with a curry (tomato chalna,egg or chicken curry) and coconut chutney. It is also served with sweetened coconut milk in the Malabar region of Kerala.

Ingredients:

Rice flour :

• 1 cup – Idly rice
• 1 tbsp – Sesame oil
• 1 tsp – salt (as needed)
• water as needed

Preparation method:

1. Soak idly rice for 5-6 hr and using wet grinder/mixer grinder grind the rice to a very fine consistency (like dosa batter). Finally add salt to it.
2. Take a big hard bottom pan keep in a medium heat always and add 1 tbsp of sesame oil to it. Then add the rice flour keep stirring never move from that place…Continue doing this until you get thick ball.
3. Switch off the stove. Divide the batter into three portions and knead it into a smooth ball. Make it into a single ball and cover it with a wet tissue or cloth.
4. Fill an 'idiyappam' presser with the dough and press it on to slightly greased idly platter and steam for 8-10 minutes or until it cooks.
5. Serve hot with grated coconut,sugar and ghee or with any other curry.
   

Tomato idiyappam:

Tomato idiyappam is made by mixing tomato thokku and idiyappam.Some people may not like sweet idiyappam so for them you can make tomato thokku and mix it with the idiyappam.Even kids will love this flavor.