Idiyappam and Pattani Curry/ String hopper with Dried Green Peas Curry- Kerala Breakfast Recipe

Idiyappam and Pattani Curry- Kerala Breakfast Recipe

Are you looking for a healthy and comforting breakfast? Idiyappam/ string hoppers is a much-loved traditional breakfast of Kerala. String hoppers are healthy and a fun recipe to make. It is steamed rice noodles, delightfully soft and springy. It tastes delicious with mild stews, vegetable kurma, or green peas curry. If you like to serve it as dinner, try spicy egg curry or chicken curry. It is simple, satisfying, the very definition of comfort food. You might be surprised to find out that it is super easy to make at home.

Today's recipe is my best go-to for making soft and fluffy idiyappam. It goes well with this delicious dried peas curry. The sauce is versatile and is good with any vegetable of your choice, lentils, or beans. The gravy consists of coconut milk and grounds coconut paste. It adds a nutty flavor and tastes like kurma. It is a delicious and healthy vegetarian/vegan recipe, that you will be coming back to again and again. It is a great way to start your day and keeps you satisfied until lunchtime! Does this sound exciting? Then check the recipe. It is super simple to make this delectable and healthy breakfast.

Idiyappam is hands down one of the most popular breakfast recipes. I grew up eating this and made at every South Indian home, restaurant, and tiffin center. It is relished, with curry as breakfast or dinner. It is also popular in Sri Lanka, Malaysia, and Singapore. Putu mayam or string hoppers in Malaysia and Indonesia is a sweet treat served with palm sugar mixed with coconut milk. Idiyappam or noolappam is a traditional recipe, and the way to make idiyappam has continued to be the same over generations. The equipment you might need is an idiyappam press and a steamer. The idiyappam press has tiny holes in the bottom, and when pressed, the dough forms long strings or thin noodles. The dough consists of rice flour and salt mixed with hot water. The partial cooking of the dough takes place at this stage, and the rest when steamed. Grated coconut and coconut oil add flavor to idiyappam.

What are Pattani/ Dried green peas?
Pattani is dried green peas. Pattani/vatana is a must-have in my pantry. If you are new to this, you should give it a try. It is versatile, and you can create many amazing, and filling meals with whole dried green peas. It is delicious in curries, salads, stews, and soups. It is protein-rich and has a sweet, and nutty taste. The fresh tender green peas (garden peas/ English peas) are sweet and mild. The dried green peas are matured green peas pods and have more complex flavors. You cook it just like chickpeas or beans. It is best to soak the dried peas for around six to seven hours or overnight. It is best to use a pressure cooker or an Instant pot to cook dry green peas.

How to make rice flour at home?
The main ingredient in the Idiyappam recipe is roasted rice flour. You can buy Idiyappam/pathiri powder from your local Indian grocery store. I usually buy the Nirapara and Brahmins brand idiyappam rice flour to make recipes like idiyappam, pathiri. If you cannot find idiyappam powder, use any good quality fine ground dry roasted rice flour. You can also make your own at home.
To make homemade rice flour, wash and soak 3 cups of raw rice for two to three hours and strain into a colander. After five minutes, spread the rice on a piece of cloth and leave it to dry for 10 minutes. Do not allow it to be completely dry. There should be a little moister left in the rice. Using a mixer, make a fine powder. Sieve the flour to make sure there are no lumps, and you get a fine powder. Grind the large chunks again and sieve once again.
Step two is roasting the rice flour. Heat a heavy bottom pan and roast the rice on a low flame. Too much heat will burn the flour. This roasting will take 10-12 minutes. Stir continuously for even roasting. In the first stage, as you stir, you will see that moisture escaping from the flour. But it will subside as you continue roasting the flour. Scoop flour in a spatula, and when you lift, you will see no moisture, indicating that the flour is dry. When you rub flour in between your finger, you will get a finer smoother touch. Sieve once again, and when it cools down store in an airtight container. This flour can be stored for up to a month.

Idiyappam/ String hopper Recipe

Ingredients
Rice flour- 2 cups
Hot water- 4- 4 1/2 cups
Salt to taste
Sugar- 1 tsp
Coconut oil- 2 tsp
Grated coconut for garnish- 1/2 cup

To make the dough
Boil 4- 4 1/2 cups of water along with salt and sugar (you might need roughly four cups of water, it might depend on the kind of rice flour). In a bowl, add rice flour and make a well in the center. When the water comes to a rolling boil, switch off the flame and wait for a minute. Carefully add the hot water little by little into the flour and mix with a wooden spatula till all the dough comes together. Mix the coconut oil, cover, and let it rest for a few minutes. When it cools down a bit, knead the dough and make it a smooth soft dough. It feels stiff to add one or two tablespoons of hot water and knead. If it is sticky, add more flour. The coconut oil enhances the flavor and reduces the stickiness of the dough. Keep it covered to avoid drying the dough.

You will need an idiyappam maker/press to squeeze the dough. Change the disc of the idiyappam press / Seva to the one with tiny holes. Grease your hand, the press, and the idly plate with oil. Take a portion of the dough and fill the idiyappam press. Add one teaspoon of coconut to the bottom of a greased idly plate. Press the dough in a circular motion onto a greased idly plate, into two or three layers. Place the idly plate, on the stand. Boil water in idli pot/ steamer and cook for three minutes. Take out of the steamer and let it cool down for a minute. Invert over a plate or into a casserole. Serve warm with the curry. If you have leftovers, you can refrigerate them for up to three days or freeze them. To make it soft, steam it for one minute in the steamer.

Dry green peas/ Pattani Curry Recipe

Ingredients
Dry green peas/ pattani- 1 cup
Onion- 1 medium
Tomato finely chopped- 1
Ginger- thinly sliced - 1 inch
Garlic- 2-3 pods
Curry leaves- 1 spring
Green chilly- 4-5
Fresh grated coconut- 1/2- 3/4 cup
Thick coconut milk- 1 cup
Turmeric powder- 1/2 tsp
Chilly powder- 1 tsp
Coriander powder- 2 tsp
Fennel seeds/Perumjeerakam - 1/2 tsp
(or Garam masala- 1/2 tsp )
Coconut oil- 2 -3 tbs

Wash and soak dried green peas for at least 5-6 hours or overnight. Into a pressure cooker or instant pot, add the soaked green peas. Add slit green chilly, sliced ginger, finely chopped tomato, turmeric powder, and salt. Add water to the same level as the peas. Pressure cook the dried peas 3-4 whistles until it is soft. Check the softness by pressing between the two fingers. If using the instant pot, cook for 15 minutes in high pressure and let the pressure release naturally.

Into a blender, add grated coconut, fennel seeds, and grind it into a smooth fine paste.

Heat coconut oil in a pan and saute chopped onions till soft and golden. Add chopped garlic, and curry leaves saute till the raw flavor disappears. Add coriander powder, garam masala, chilly powder, and fry for a minute and add the ground coconut paste. Allow this to cook for two to three minutes, and add the cooked peas and any water from the peas. Mix well and let the curry simmer and the gravy thicken. Finally, add the thick coconut milk and let it simmer for a minute or two. You can garnish with coriander leaves or fresh curry leaves. Serve this curry with Idiyappam. It also goes well with puttu, chapathi, or appam.