Idiyappam is rice flour dough pressed into a noodle form and steamed. It goes by many names as the dish which originated in Kerala is now available in Sri Lanka, Maldives, and Malaysia. In Malaysia, it is called puttu mayam. Idiyappam may be served as a savory dish with a meat gravy, coconut egg curry, vegetable stew or as a sweet dish with coconut milk and sugar. This was a common dish in my home while I was growing up, and my favorite combination was idiyappam and mutton curry….oh my god, it was so good!

Time: 

• Prep time – 15 minutes
• Cook time – 15 minutes

Ingredients: 

• Idiyappam Flour or Rice Flour – 1 cup
• Grated Coconut (OPTIONAL) – 1 cup
• Water – 1.5 cups
• Vegetable Oil – 1 tsp

Special Equipment needed:

• Idly Mold
• Idiyappam Press

Method: 

1. In a heated pot, bring the water to a boil. Add the salt and oil, then turn off the stove. Let the water temperature come down till it is hot and not boiling (important so that the idiyappam is not hard)
2. Add the water to the idiyappam flour, stirring continously so that lumps don’t form
3. Knead well to form a soft dough
4. Divide the dough into small portions and place each portion into an idiyappam press
5. Squeeze the idiyappam through the press and onto an idly mold
6. Steam for 10 minutes
7. If using coconut, garnish with the grated coconut once the idiyappam has steamed
8. Serve warm with sweetened coconut milk or meat curries or vegetable stew 🙂