Sri Lankan Fried Chicken Hoppers Recipes

SRI LANKAN HOPPERS

Steps:

• The night before you make hoppers (18hrs - 20hrs earlier) make a very thigh dough-like paste using rice flour, yeast, and water. You can use a spoon or fork to mix this. Then cover with and let it ferment for 18 to 20 hours. It's okay to make them a little earlier or a little later. Do NOT add sugar or salt.
• 18 to 20 hours later you should be able to notice that there are some bubbles on the surface and the paste has risen a little bit.
• After 18 - 20 hours add sugar and coconut milk and make a somewhat thick batter. Not too thick or not too thin. Careful when you add coconut milk. You might need less or more than 200ml. So add a little by little and see the consistency is right. Do NOT add salt yet. Now cover again and let it sit for 30 mins.
• Meanwhile, add a generous amount of oil to your hopper pan. Let the oil heat a bit and then add an egg yolk if your pan is too sticky. ( Or you can use the whole egg if your pan is old and well seasoned) break the egg yolk in the oil as it frying and rub it all in the pan using your spoon. Then remove the oil and the egg yolk to a heatproof bowl. We are going to use this oil to rub the pan before making each hopper. **Skip this step completely if you're using a nonstick hopper pan.
• After 30 mins of mixing coconut milk and sugar, add salt to the batter and mix very well.
• Heat the hopper pan on medium heat, add a ladle full of batter to the center. and swirl the pan around to coat the inside with the batter. Now cover the pan and let it cook for about 45 seconds or until it's done.
• and swirl the pan around to coat the inside with the batter. Now cover the pan. Do not open the lid again and again.
• and let it cook for about 45 seconds or until it's done.
• For egg hoppers, pour the batter ( a little less than plain hoppers), break an egg in, add salt and pepper, cover, and cook on low heat until you get the desired texture.

SRI LANKAN FRIED CHICKEN & HOPPERS

Steps:

• To prepare the chicken, tip the coconut milk into a jug and stir in the garlic, spices and 1 tsp salt. Put the chicken in a plastic container or roasting tin and pour over the brine mix to cover. Cover with cling film and chill for 24 hrs.
• For the hoppers, put the rice flour in a large bowl. In a jug, combine 125ml water with the yeast and sugar, and leave for about 8 mins until you see some foaming. Pour in the coconut milk and whisk the wet ingredients into the rice flour to make a smooth batter, slightly thinner than pancake batter. Season, cover and allow to ferment overnight in the fridge.
• To make the kiri hodi, put all the ingredients (except the coconut milk, lime juice and spinach) in a heavy-based saucepan. Add 1 tbsp water and simmer over a low heat for 5 mins or until the onion softens. Pour in the coconut milk and cook for a further 1-2 mins (do not boil). Tip in the spinach, stir until wilted, then remove from the heat. Season to taste with salt and add the lime juice.
• To make the sambol, use a pestle and mortar or mini processor to grind the onions with the chillies, a big pinch of salt and smoked paprika, to form a coarse paste. Season with lime juice and more salt, if needed.
• To cook, remove the chicken and hoppers mix from the fridge for about 1 hr so they come to room temperature. To cook the chicken, heat the oil in a deep-fat fryer or saucepan until it reaches 180C on a cooking thermometer. To make the fried chicken coating, combine all the ingredients with 1/4 tsp salt in a bowl. Piece by piece, remove the chicken from its brine, allow the excess to drip off, then dredge it in the coating. Shake off the excess and fry in the oil for 6-8 mins until cooked through. Drain on kitchen paper, then rest in a low oven while you make the hoppers.
• Make the hoppers. Whisk your hoppers base to remove any lumps. Add a splash more water to thin it if needed. Heat a non-stick frying pan, a hopper pan or small high-sided wok and brush on some rapeseed oil with kitchen paper. Add a ladle of mix to the pan and immediately swirl it around and up the edges to create a bowl-shaped pancake. Cook for 1 min, then add an egg and cover with a lid. Cook for 2-3 mins more until the egg is cooked and the edges are starting to brown. Repeat with the remaining batter and eggs. Serve the hoppers with the chicken, sambol and kiri hodi.

HOPPERS

Steps:

• In a jug or bowl, dissolve the yeast in 50ml warm water and leave to bubble for 15 mins.
• Put the flour and sugar in a bowl with a pinch of salt. Add the coconut water and milk, whisking continuously to avoid lumps, then add the yeast mixture and mix until you have a smooth batter. Cover with cling film and leave to ferment for 2 hrs.
• When it's time to cook the hoppers, whisk the base mixture to remove any lumps. It should be the consistency of double cream, so add a splash more coconut water to thin it if needed. Heat a lidded, non-stick frying pan or small, lidded, high-sided wok until very hot and brush on a little sesame oil with kitchen paper. Add a ladleful of mixture to the pan and immediately swirl it around and up the edges to create a bowl-shaped pancake. Cook, uncovered, for 1 min, then cover with a lid. Cook for 2-3 mins more until the edges are starting to crisp and the base is cooked through. Remove and set aside, then repeat with the remaining batter. Serve with the cauliflower curry, leek seeni sambol and chutney (see goes well with).