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Sri Lankan · Breakfast

String Hoppers

VegMedium

Diet: Veg · Vegan

String Hoppers is a Sri Lankan dish. Add water gradually because rice flour absorption varies.

Prep
35 min
Cook
20 min
Total
55 min
Servings
6
Difficulty
Medium
Cuisine
Sri Lankan
Course
Breakfast

Estimated times for the original batch. Preparation, cooking and listed waiting time are included. Batch cooking can take longer.

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Representative photograph of String Hoppers.
Representative photograph of String Hoppers. Garnishes and presentation may differ. Photo credit and licence
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Ingredients

Metric weights use grams. US weights use ounces; liquids use fluid ounces. Conversions are rounded. Spoon measures use 5 ml teaspoons and 15 ml tablespoons; cups use 240 ml.

Serves 6

Dough

Steam

Equipment

Kitchen scales; measuring jug and spoons; knife; cutting board; mixing bowls; saucepan with lid; sieve; rolling pin; steamer with lid and heatproof dishes; string-hopper press; heatproof spoon; spatula.

Check all product labels and cross-contact. Diet groups describe this listed recipe, not every substitution.

Steps

Dough · About 12 min

  1. Mix salt with flour from 350 g roasted rice flour, 400 ml boiling water, ¾ tsp salt; add boiling water gradually, stirring until a soft dough forms. Cool enough to handle and knead smooth.

    Check: Look for this result: a soft dough forms.

Press · About 12 min

  1. Fill a string-hopper press and squeeze thin nests onto lightly oiled steamer mats or plates.

Steam · About 7 min

  1. Bring 1800 ml water to a boil; steam nests in batches 5–7 minutes until strands are firm and cooked through.

    Check: Look for this result: strands are firm and cooked through.

Tips

  • Add water gradually because rice flour absorption varies.
  • Judge String Hoppers by the texture and doneness signs in its steps. Your pan and heat affect how long String Hoppers takes to cook.

Substitutions

  • Use a fine sev press if it makes thin rice strands.

Storage

  • Divide String Hoppers into small, shallow portions for cooling. Refrigerate String Hoppers promptly, ideally within one hour, and finish it within 24 hours.
  • For String Hoppers, reheat the rice only once; it must steam throughout and reach 74°C / 165°F. Cover String Hoppers while reheating and add a little water.

Make ahead

  • Prepare the measured ingredients for String Hoppers one day ahead. For String Hoppers, refrigerate chopped vegetables apart from the other perishable ingredients. Follow the cooking stages for String Hoppers on the day of serving.

FAQ

What matters most when making String Hoppers?

Add water gradually because rice flour absorption varies.

What can I substitute in String Hoppers?

Use a fine sev press if it makes thin rice strands.

Can I prepare String Hoppers ahead?

Prepare the measured ingredients for String Hoppers one day ahead. For String Hoppers, refrigerate chopped vegetables apart from the other perishable ingredients. Follow the cooking stages for String Hoppers on the day of serving.

Food safety references

FoodSafety.gov: cooking temperatures · Food Standards Agency: rice storage and reheating

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