andrejthechef
Sri LankaPancakesBreakfastGluten-freeDairy-free

Appa with Egg and Pol Sambol

Sri Lankan appa (hoppers) with egg: bowl-shaped fermented rice and coconut milk pancakes with crisp edges, served with spicy pol sambol. Full batter and pan technique.

prep
4 h 15 min
cook
30 min
total
4 h 45 min
serves
4
level
medium
Two lacy-edged bowl-shaped appa on a plate, one with a sunny egg in its soft center, beside a small bowl of orange pol sambol

Appa, known as hoppers in English, are bowl-shaped pancakes made from a fermented rice flour and coconut milk batter, cooked in a small, deep, lidded pan. The edges are thin and crisp, the center soft and spongy. An egg hopper (bittara appa) has an egg cooked into the center, and with pol sambol on the side it is a common Sri Lankan breakfast.

The batter should be about as thin as heavy cream so it swirls up the sides of the pan, and it needs time to ferment so the hoppers come out lightly sour and full of holes. The pan matters too: it must be properly hot and only lightly greased, and you cover it so the center steams while the edges crisp. Expect the first one to be a test.

Appa with Egg and Pol Sambol is one of the best breakfasts from around the world.

method

  1. Whisk the yeast and sugar into the warm water and leave for 5 minutes. Stir in the rice flour, salt and coconut milk until smooth. The batter should be thinner than pancake batter, about like heavy cream; add water a tablespoon at a time if it is thick. Cover and ferment in a warm place for 3 to 4 hours (or overnight in a cool kitchen) until bubbly, risen and lightly sour smelling.

  2. For the pol sambol, mix the coconut, onion, chili flakes, Maldive fish, lime juice and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a bowl. Rub and squeeze with your fingertips for 1 to 2 minutes until the coconut turns evenly orange-red and clumps slightly. Taste and adjust the salt, chili and lime.

  3. Heat a hopper pan (appachatti) over medium-high heat for 1 to 2 minutes until hot. Rub a few drops of oil over the inside with a paper towel; the surface should be barely greased.

  4. Stir the batter gently. Pour about 80 ml (1/3 cup) into the pan, then immediately lift the pan and rotate it so the batter swirls up the sides, leaving a thicker pool in the center.

  5. For an egg hopper, crack an egg into the center right away. Cover with the lid and cook over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes, until the edges are golden and crisp, the center is set and spongy, and the egg white is set with the yolk still runny. For a plain hopper, cook the same way without the egg.

  6. Loosen the edge with a thin spatula and slide the hopper out; it does not need flipping. Re-grease the pan lightly every few hoppers and repeat with the rest of the batter. Serve right away with the pol sambol, since hoppers soften as they cool.

chef's tips

  • If the batter sticks, the pan is not hot enough or is poorly seasoned. A new pan needs a thin coat of oil heated until it just smokes before first use.
  • Cook the egg until the white is fully set. If you leave the yolk runny, use very fresh eggs, and skip runny yolks for young children, older adults and anyone pregnant.
  • The batter keeps a day in the fridge. Whisk it and let it come to room temperature before cooking.
  • The sambol is best made within an hour of serving, while the coconut is still fresh and bright.