Photo: Sugeesh at ml.wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Tamilnadu · Breakfast

Idiappam with Sweetened Coconut Milk (இடியாப்பம் + தேங்காய் பால்)

Traditional 24. Idiappam with Sweetened Coconut Milk recipe

🧺 Ingredients

• 2 cups rice flour (store-bought idiappam flour, or homemade roasted rice flour)
• 2 cups water + extra for adjusting
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp sesame oil or coconut oil
• Pinch of baking soda (optional — for softer texture)
• 1 fresh coconut, grated (about 2.5 cups grated) — or 400 ml canned thick coconut milk
• 3 cups water (for extraction)
• 3–4 tbsp jaggery powder (adjust to taste — about 45 g)
• 4 green cardamom pods, seeds extracted and powdered (or ½ tsp cardamom powder)
• Pinch of salt

👩‍🍳 How to make Idiappam with Sweetened Coconut Milk

1. Bring 2 cups water to a rolling boil in a wide saucepan over high heat.
2. Add 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp oil.
3. Turn off heat.
4. Pour boiling water gradually over rice flour in a large bowl, mixing with a wooden spoon simultaneously.
5. Start with 1.5 cups water, mix, then add more water tablespoon by tablespoon until you get a smooth, pliable dough — soft like Play-Doh, not sticky.
6. The dough should hold its shape when pressed.
7. Allow to cool until handleable (2–3 minutes).
8. Grease the inside of the idiappam press (nazhi) with oil.
9. Fill press 2/3 full with dough.
10. Hold press over a greased idli plate or steamer tray.
11. Press handle down firmly while moving in a circular motion to create overlapping strands forming a round nest about 10 cm diameter.
12. Fill all plates.
13. Each dough ball makes 2–3 nests.
14. Place idiappam plates in a steamer over high heat.
15. Once steam is vigorous, reduce to medium heat, cover, and steam for 8–10 minutes.
16. String hoppers are done when they appear glossy, translucent, and the strands have set firmly — they should not look powdery or raw.
17. Remove carefully.
18. Place grated coconut in a blender.
19. Add ½ cup warm water.
20. Blend for 60 seconds on high speed.
21. Strain through a muslin cloth, squeezing firmly — this yields approximately ¾ cup thick coconut milk.
22. Set aside.
23. Add 1.5 cups warm water to the same coconut residue.
24. Blend again for 30 seconds.
25. Strain — yields thinner coconut milk.
26. Combine with first press or keep separate.
27. In a small saucepan over low heat, combine the thin coconut milk (second press) and jaggery powder.
28. Stir continuously for 2–3 minutes until jaggery dissolves completely.
29. Do NOT boil — just heat until jaggery melts.
30. Add cardamom powder and a pinch of salt.
31. Taste — adjust jaggery.
32. Add thick coconut milk off heat (do not heat thick milk — it can curdle at high heat).
33. Stir gently.
34. Serve warm.
35. Place 2–3 idiappam nests per plate.
36. Pour warm sweetened coconut milk over or alongside in a bowl for dipping.
37. Serve immediately.
38. Optional: drizzle 1 tsp thick coconut cream on top of idiappam.

Track the macros of Idiappam with Sweetened Coconut Milk and 100s of Indian dishes with Nutri Macro India.