How To Make A Sri Lankan Egg Hopper
We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.
1601 Bar & Kitchen is the only Sri Lankan culinary destination in the Bay Area, and since opening a few years back, it has earned critical acclaim and a devoted following. The restaurant is owned and run by chef Brian Fernando, with offerings that spotlight the flavors that helped to shape his palate as a child (his father is Sri Lankan). The result of this is a truly personalized cuisine, where time-honored family dishes live alongside more traditional preparations and street-food throwbacks, like the egg hopper. Hoppers are considered a staple of Sri Lankan cuisine and can come in many forms. 1601 Bar & Kitchen specializes in an egg hopper, which is much like a savory crepe with a soft boiled egg in the middle. It's served with caramelized onions, toasted coconut meat and Sri Lankan spices, and diners are encouraged to eat it like a taco.
The batter is rather simple but, unfortunately, useless without a proper hopper pan. We get ours directly from Sri Lanka, but they are also available online.
- 2 cups rice flour
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 cups coconut milk
- 3/4 cup water
- 1 tablespoon dry active yeast
- 1 1/2 teaspoons warm water
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 3/4 cup cooked basmati rice
- 1 1/2 cups coconut milk
- fresh eggs
- Combine the first four ingredients (flour, sugar, coconut milk and water) in a large mixing bowl and set aside. In a separate container, proof the yeast in the warm-water sugar mixture until it triples in volume, about 10 minutes.
- Blend the rice and remaining coconut milk in a commercial blender at high speed to form a thick paste. Combine the yeast mixture and contents from the blender with the other ingredients. Using a whisk, stir until no lumps of flour remain. Place in an oven with the pilot light on for about three hours. The mixture should double in size.
- Heat hopper pan over medium-high heat. Swirl batter in the pan and crack an egg in the middle. Cover and let cook for 2 or 3 minutes. Loosen hopper with a knife and serve.