Wheat String hopper

தமிழில்

Wheat String hopper

Ingredients (for 1 person):

1. Roasted & ground wheat flour – 1 cup (150 grams)
2. Water – 3/4 cup
3. Rocksalt – 1 pinch

Method to make wheat flour:
Buy 1kg of whole wheat. Remove stones and dust. Take 2 cups of wheat and dry roast in a pan. The colour of wheat turns into golden brown and it starts popping out. This is the correct stage to stop roasting. Repeat the same process and roast the remaining wheat as well. Let it cool. Grind the wheat in flour mill to make fine flour. Let the flour become cool. Then sieve it and store  in an air tight container. This flour remains good for a longer period. We can use the same flour to make String Hopper  and sweet dumplings.

Method to make string hopper:

• Take required quantity of flour in a vessel. Add a pinch of salt and mix the flour by adding water slowly.  Dough should be soft enough but not sticky.
• Take a String hopper mould and stuff dough inside the mould. Close the lid and press it on the Idli plate. You will get thin strings.  Place the idli plate in an Idli pot and steam it for 5 minutes. When it is cooked, transfer it to a hot pack.
• While eating, add jaggery powder  as per taste, grated coconut and a few drops of gingelly oil (oil is optional)  with the string hopper. Mix everything well and eat.

Notes:

• I learnt this recipe from my mother. It is very simple and easy to make if the flour is kept ready at home. It is an alternate for the usual rice made string hoppers.
• Instead of plain string hopper, you may add jaggery syrup & cardamom powder in the flour and make sweet string hopper.
• You may also make sweet dumplings by adding chopped coconut pieces in sweet dough.