Hoppers

A marriage between a French crepe and an English crumpet. This version sourced from one of Madhur Jaffrey's wonderful collections of recipes, which Doreen lent me. Don't know if it's still in print, but worth keeping an eye out for any of them in second hand shops. Also see this source of second hand books

Hoppers are a little tricky in that you have to get the temperature just right and the viscosity of the mix just right, or you get a combination of burnt and raw that doesn't do all that much for breakfast. Because all kinds of factors can influence viscosity - room temperature, humidity, flour type (and even brand and batch) - you will need to experiment a little, until instinct takes over. You will get a feel for a batter that is "just right".

You will need, for about 6 hoppers

1 teaspoon Active Dry Yeast
1 tablespoon Sugar
1 teaspoon Salt
180g Plain White Flour (sifted)
70 g Rice Flour (sifted)
250ml Coconut Milk
About 3 tablespoons Cooking Oil

What to do

1. Put the yeast in a large bowl. Slowly add 250 ml lukewarm water, stirring to dissolve. Add sugar and salt and mix together.

2. Add the flours, mixing as you go. You should end up with a very thick pasty doughlike batter.

3. Cover the bowl with a damp teatowel, and leave in a dark warm spot for ten hours. (In the oven overnight is fine - oven turned off btw.)

4. Next morning, apply blender until smooth and add coconut milk. Leave aside for ten minutes.

5. Place low/medium heat under wok, and heat slowly. Add about 10ml of oil and wipe with paper towel, leaving visible coating of oil in wok

6. Pour a third of a cup of batter into the wok and swirl the wok gently to take the batter out about 2cm beyond its original radius. There is ideally enough heat in the wok to just produce bubbles when you first pour in the mix, but too hot means the middle bottom blackens while the middle top stays raw.

7. Cover the wok and let the batter cook slowly - estimate about eight to eleven minutes - until the centre resembles a thinnish crumpet and the outside is crisp and golden reddish brown. (While you are experimenting, initially, you will need to check from time to time, but remember that when you raise the lid to look, you allow the built up steam inside the wok to dissipate and thereby change the rules to some extent.)

8. Lift it out with an egg slice onto a plate. Serve with usual crepe toppings. Re-apply oil and continue.

VARIATION: Smooth a small indentation in the centre of the batter. Break an egg into a cup, and then slowly pour it into the indentation so the yolk is contained and the white spreads a little over the surface. Cover the wok and proceed as before.

 

 

WELCOME

RECIPES HOME PAGE

DAVE ON CURRY

BAKING

Sauces, Chutneys, Relishes, Jams and Marmalade

Tramping (Hiking)
Tucker

Kefir

Snacks

Spreads, Dips, Entrees, and Dressings

Soups

MAIN COURSES:
Vegetarian

MAIN COURSES:
With Meat or Fish

Desserts