Idiappam is one of the staple food in Souther India especially in Tamilnadu. Idiappam is one of the healthy breakfast to start a day. Steam cooked soft rice noodles are served with either kurma or coconut milk. Soft and light for tummy! Learn here how to make this Idiappam with step by step pictures and instructions.
Like Idli another light and healthy dish is Idiappam. Idiyappam also called as string hoppers is a traditional Tamil, Kerala and Sri Lankan food consisting of rice flour pressed into noodle form and then steamed. It is usually served with idiyappam kurma or coconut milk or kadala curry. Conventional method of making idiyappam is by first preparing the homemade rice flour and then adding boiling water to the flour and squeeze it through the press and mould to get like a noodle and then steam cook it. But now we are getting readymade idiappam flour which makes our effort less and we can make idiyappam very easily. I have explained here the conventional method of making idiappam by using homemade rice flour. We can very well follow the method and use the store bought idiappam flour also.
Sevai and Idiappam are usually mistaken as same dish. Technically both are different. Sevai is made using Parboiled/Idli rice.Also Idiappam is almost instant, we can use store bought rice flour and make Idiappam instantly, but on the other hand for Sevai is not instant.
Tips for making Idiappam:
The quantity of water cannot be mentioned accurate. It depends on the quality of rice. Some rice flour absorbs more water. So add water little by little till you get a soft dough consistency.
If the dough is too dry, then steam cooked idiappam strings would be hard. If the dough is too watery, the strings would be sticking with each other.
First bring the water added to steamer or pressure cooker to boil. Then place the idiappam plates and steam cook for 3-4 mins.
Prepare the dough in batches if you plan to make large quantities.
Cuisine: Indian Recipes, South Indian Recipes, Tamil Nadu Recipes
Equipments Needed
Heavy Bottomed Pan
Mixing Bowl
Mixer Grinder
idiappam Press and Mould
Prep Time: 10 minutesminutes
Cook Time: 20 minutesminutes
Total Time: 30 minutesminutes
Servings: 2people
Calories: 70kcal
Author: Sowmya Venkatachalam
Idiappam is one of the staple food in Souther India especially in Tamilnadu. Idiappam is one of the healthy breakfast to start a day. Steam cooked soft rice noodles are served with either kurma or coconut milk. Soft and light for tummy! Learn here how to make this Idiappam with step by step pictures and instructions.
Boil water along with oil and salt. If you are using a store bought idiyappam flour and you have stored it in refrigerator, then boil the water nicely. If your rice flour or idiyappam flour is at room temperature, then boil the water till the bubbles starts to rise up in the water. Take the idiyappam flour or rice flour in a mixing bowl. To that, add the boiled water little by little.
Mix the flour with the backside of a ladle till all the flour are mixed well and you have got a soft dough. Stop adding water once all the rice flour are mixed up. Take the idiyappam press and fix the idiyappam mould and lightly grease the press with oil to avoid stickiness.
To this add 1 fist full of dough and close the idiyappam press. Take the idli plate or idiyappam plate and grease the plates with oil. Squeeze the dough onto the idli plates in a circular motion.
We can also place a damp cloth on the idli plate and then squeeze the dough.
Now place the idli plates in a steamer and steam it until done. This is similar like how you cook idly in the cooker.
Allow it to cool for a while and carefully remove the idiyappams to a serving Plate.
The yummy idiyappam is ready to serve with sambar / sweet cocunut milk / Idiyappa Kurma.
Nutritional Info
Nutrition Facts
Idiyappam Recipe | How to make Soft Idiappam
Amount Per Serving (1 piece)
Calories 70Calories from Fat 18
% Daily Value*
Fat 2g3%
Carbohydrates 11g4%
Protein 1g2%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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Instructions with step by step pictures:
Boil water along with oil and salt. If you are using a store bought idiyappam flour and you have stored it in refrigerator, then boil the water nicely. If your rice flour or idiyappam flour is at room temperature, then boil the water till the bubbles starts to rise up in the water. Take the idiyappam flour or rice flour in a mixing bowl. To that, add the boiled water little by little.
Mix the flour with the backside of a ladle till all the flour are mixed well and you have got a soft dough. Stop adding water once all the rice flour are mixed up. Take the idiyappam press and fix the idiyappam mould and lightly grease the press with oil to avoid stickiness. To this add 1 fist full of dough and close the idiyappam press. Take the idli plate or idiyappam plate and grease the plates with oil. Squeeze the dough onto the idli plates in a circular motion.
We can also place a damp cloth on the idli plate and then squeeze the dough. Now place the idli plates in a steamer and steam it until done. This is similar like how you cook idly in the cooker.
Allow it to cool for a while and carefully remove the idiyappams to a serving Plate.
The yummy idiyappam is ready to serve with sambar / sweet cocunut milk / Idiyappa Kurma.
Hi Is sevai and iddiappam same?Whenever I tried out sevai in the traditional mould it was very hard and difficult to press.Can I make lemon sevai with the recipe you have given?Will it be non sticky? Mangala
Hi Mangala Sevai and Idiappam are different. Sevai is made of parboiled (puzhungal arisi) rice and Idiappam is made of Pacha arisi. We can not press the parboiled rice in the idiappam press. You should have the special Sevai press (refer my post on sevai recipe https://www.subbuskitchen.com/2009/02/sevai.html. Lemon sevai wont be sticky. But as you mentioned its difficult to make sevai.
If you live abroad you can buy rice noodles in a Chinese food market or Thai food market. the instructions are the same. you can temper them with curry leaves and oil and cilantro. add crushed peanuts or eat it with sambhar made with a lot of coconut giving the Kerala style taste.
Hi everybody I have been searching for a machine to make Idiyappam.Finally I have found a good one.If any body interested please see http://www.oritha.com. I really wanted to share this good news with you all.
Mami… My child is not at all eating. She is 2yrs old. She likes only Ragi. Pls suggest me some ragi based recipies that my child can eat. I tried Ragi dosa, Raghi Kuzh. Pls help me mami
I used to make idiappam with store brought idiappam flour,i find it difficult to squeeze through the idiappam achu. Can u tell me what s the mistake i am doing..? Thank you.I love al your recipes,and the proportion youhave given is perfect:)
Hi, The idiappam flour brand may not be smooth. You can try seiving it through a seiver. Also you can slightly increase the warm water so that the dough is not tough to press.
I tried the idiyappam and I have a few questions. Will be glad if you could help me. My idiyappam was not soft, it was little hard. So I was wondering where I am going wrong. 1) Is it needed to lightly dry roast the store bought rice flour, I did not do this? 2) For my rice flour, I could just use 1/2 cup + 1 tbsp. warm water. 3) I steam the idiyappam for 4 minutes. Do you think I have wrong any where?
I tried the idiyappam but it was a little hard. Will be glad if you could help me. 1) Is it needed to dry roast the store bought rice flour? 2) I steamed the idiyappam for 4 minutes 3) I could just use 1/2 cup + 1 tbsp. of water for 1 cup of rice flour. Let me know if I went wrong somewhere.
Hi Mami sure all well. I tried idiyappam but it became a little hard. I used half glass of water for one glass rice flour and steamed for 5-6 minutes. Could you pl tell me what went wrong. Thanks!
Hi,
You have mentioned that we have to steam the Idiyappam after pressing on the idli plates. Is it possible to first steam the balls and then press them with the mould like our traditional sevai.
Hi
Is sevai and iddiappam same?Whenever I tried out sevai in the traditional mould it was very hard and difficult to press.Can I make lemon sevai with the recipe you have given?Will it be non sticky?
Mangala
Hi Mangala
Sevai and Idiappam are different. Sevai is made of parboiled (puzhungal arisi) rice and Idiappam is made of Pacha arisi. We can not press the parboiled rice in the idiappam press. You should have the special Sevai press (refer my post on sevai recipe https://www.subbuskitchen.com/2009/02/sevai.html. Lemon sevai wont be sticky. But as you mentioned its difficult to make sevai.
Can you share the pic of presser and the holes aachu
Sure will share. Thanks
If you live abroad you can buy rice noodles in a Chinese food market or Thai food market. the instructions are the same. you can temper them with curry leaves and oil and cilantro. add crushed peanuts or eat it with sambhar made with a lot of coconut giving the Kerala style taste.
Hi everybody
I have been searching for a machine to make Idiyappam.Finally I have found a good one.If any body interested please see http://www.oritha.com.
I really wanted to share this good news with you all.
Mami… My child is not at all eating. She is 2yrs old. She likes only Ragi. Pls suggest me some ragi based recipies that my child can eat. I tried Ragi dosa, Raghi Kuzh. Pls help me mami
Hello aunty, when i prepared idiyappam, it had a raw smell to it… can i add coconut milk to it while kneading to get rid of that smell?
the idiyappam has a raw smell to it… can i add coconut milk while kneading to stave off that smell?
Yes sure, you can add coconut milk
I used to make idiappam with store brought idiappam flour,i find it difficult to squeeze through the idiappam achu. Can u tell me what s the mistake i am doing..? Thank you.I love al your recipes,and the proportion youhave given is perfect:)
Hi, The idiappam flour brand may not be smooth. You can try seiving it through a seiver. Also you can slightly increase the warm water so that the dough is not tough to press.
I tried the idiyappam and I have a few questions. Will be glad if you could help me. My idiyappam was not soft, it was little hard. So I was wondering where I am going wrong.
1) Is it needed to lightly dry roast the store bought rice flour, I did not do this?
2) For my rice flour, I could just use 1/2 cup + 1 tbsp. warm water.
3) I steam the idiyappam for 4 minutes.
Do you think I have wrong any where?
I tried the idiyappam but it was a little hard. Will be glad if you could help me.
1) Is it needed to dry roast the store bought rice flour?
2) I steamed the idiyappam for 4 minutes
3) I could just use 1/2 cup + 1 tbsp. of water for 1 cup of rice flour.
Let me know if I went wrong somewhere.
Hi Mami sure all well.
I tried idiyappam but it became a little hard. I used half glass of water for one glass rice flour and steamed for 5-6 minutes. Could you pl tell me what went wrong. Thanks!
Mam ur way of explanation is simply super . inspires us to prepare
which is ur native place mam ? anamikaram – kerala
Thank You. Im from Chennai. My MIL is from Nagercoil.
Hi,
You have mentioned that we have to steam the Idiyappam after pressing on the idli plates. Is it possible to first steam the balls and then press them with the mould like our traditional sevai.
For sevai we use parboiled rice and the steaming and pressing will work fine. But when we use rice flour it will not work out.
I wish you had given accurate measurements and approximate duration to be kept in the steamer. Anyway overall it’s come out good. Thanks for this
Happy to know it came out good. Will edit the pst with more accurate measurements🙏😊