Authentic Sri Lankan Hopper Recipe

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1. 1Step 1: Pour the warm water into a bowl. It should be hand hot, not boiling, about bath water temperature. Stir in the dry active yeast and sugar, then cover with a towel to retain heat and place in a warm location for about 15 to 20 minutes. The yeast will become bubbly.
2. 2Step 2: While the yeast is proving, sift the rice flour into a large mixing bowl and add just enough of the coconut milk to make a soft dough. Cover and let it rise in a warm location for about 4 hours.
3. 3Step 3: After four hours, add the remaining coconut milk and knead it into the dough. Then start adding the coconut water or water slowly. You may not need it all. You want a thick and creamy batter similar to full fat cream. Whisk until there are no lumps. The batter is now ready to use, but you can make it even better by letting it ferment.
4. 4Step 4: To ferment, cover the batter tightly and place it in a warm place. You can place it in your oven with just the pilot light turned on. Leave it to ferment for 24 hours for a stronger, more authentic flavour. Whisk again and set aside.
5. 5Step 5: To cook the hoppers, lightly grease a hopper pan. You just want a film of oil so the hopper doesn't stick. Greasing is not necessary if using a non-stick hopper pan.
6. 6Step 6: Place the pan over medium-high heat. When hot, add a small ladle full of the batter and swirl it around in the pan. Aim for a thin film of batter all over the sides and more batter at the bottom. This gives both a fluffy and crispy hopper.
7. 7Step 7: Cover the pan and cook for about 4 minutes. The sides will turn crispy brown and the bottom will be fluffy.
8. 8Step 8: If not using a non-stick hopper pan, hit the sides of the pan a few times with the handle of a knife, then use the same knife to ease the hopper out of the pan.
9. 9Step 9: Transfer the cooked hopper to a plate and continue until all the batter is used up or until you have enough to serve. Any leftover batter can be stored in the fridge for at least three days and can also be frozen for up to six months.