Egg hoppers

Try to find a hopper pan online if you can, but this will still cook nicely in any pan and the flavour will be the same. A small flat-bottomed wok with a lid will work well.

MAKES 8 PREP 10min, plus rising COOK 35min

• 500g fine rice flour

• 800ml tinned coconut milk

• 1tsp dried yeast

• A pinch of sugar

• Vegetable oil, for frying

• 8 medium eggs

• Chutney or raita, to serve (optional)

1 Sift flour into a large bowl. Heat coconut milk in a pan over low heat until hand-hot, then sprinkle yeast into it. Mix until yeast dissolves, then pour into flour.

Add sugar and whisk to a smooth batter. Cover and leave in a warm place to rise. It can be used in about 8hr, but it’s much tastier after it bubbles and ferments for 24hr.

2 After the batter has bubbled up nicely, whisk again until it has the consistency of single cream. If the batter is too thick, add a little water.

3 Heat wok/hopper pan over medium-high heat and add a drop of oil. Wipe oil around the pan with a paper towel. Pour in a ladle of batter and swirl around wok until sides are coated with a thin layer. If using a hopper pan, try to get batter to coat the entire inside of pan. Break an egg into a bowl and tip it into the batter at the bottom, then cover. Cook for about 4min. You can check it occasionally, but the lid needs to be on for most of the cooking time.

4 The hopper is ready when the sides begin to peel away from the wok/sides. If you’re not using a non-stick wok/pan, you may need to tap the sides a few times to release the hopper. Carefully carve around the sides until it is free from the wok.

5 Re-oil wok and repeat to cook the remaining hoppers. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Serve with your favourite chutney or raita.

COOK’S TIP

You can buy hopper pans for £15 each at harihari.co.uk.