Sri Lankan Hoppers with Spiced Beef Curry

Sri Lankan Hoppers with Carrots and Coconut

I remember the first time I made this dish at home-I wondered if the flavors would come together the way they do in Sri Lanka. They did, and more. The beef curry is mild yet layered, with cinnamon, cumin, and tamarind giving depth that keeps you going back for another bite. The hoppers are a bit of magic: rice and coconut milk transforming into something delicate and beautiful right in your pan.

And the carrots with coconut bring brightness to balance it all. I've tested this recipe many times, and it always works. Sometimes I prepare the curry the day before (the flavor only gets better), and then make the hoppers fresh for serving. It's the kind of dinner that feels generous without being complicated, and when I serve it, I know everyone at the table will be happy.

What do you need for Appams with Beef Curry?

To prepare this Sri Lankan Beef Curry and Hoppers, you need the following ingredients. You can find the correct amounts in the recipe card at the bottom of the blog:

Ingredients Sri Lankan Beef Curry

• Braising Steak: Slowly cooking this meat in the most delicious spices and coconut milk makes it tender and flavorful. You could also use beef chuck or chuck roast.
• Curry leaves: Taste a bit herbal, like basil or kaffir lime. You almost can't buy them fresh (at least not around here) because fresh leaves can contain bacteria that will cause a disease in citrus fruit trees (and that bacteria isn't here yet). You can't compare it with curry powder, which is a spice mixture. Substitute it with kaffir lime or bay leaves.
• Red pepper: Gives this beef a bit of spice. 
• Onion, turmeric, coriander, cumin, and cinnamon stick: Flavor the curry.
• Tamarind pulp: Is a fruit that has a sour taste. It's used in stews to make the meat tender (just like vinegar or lemon juice would do). For this recipe, tamarind pulp is used. You could substitute it with a combination of one tablespoon of lemon juice and one tablespoon of brown sugar.

Ingredients Hoppers (Appams)

• Rice: Use a combination of uncooked rice and cooked rice. You can use either white or brown rice (and mix it up). 
• Yeast: This recipe uses one teaspoon of instant yeast. If you prefer to use fresh yeast, you need ¼ oz. If you use dry yeast, you also require one teaspoon.
• Sugar: to make sure the yeast will do its job (it needs sugar to get starting)
• Coconut milk: Use the thick and creamy part of the coconut milk (when opening a can, it's always on the top)

Ingredients Carrots with Tropical Flavors

• Carrots: Grate them coarsely. You'll need about 1 pound (0.45 kg).
• Curry leaves: See beef curry ingredients.
• Red pepper: Gives some spice to the carrots.
• Rice vinegar: Enhances the flavors of the carrots (lime juice or lemon juice will also do the trick)
• Sugar: Brings out the sweetness of the carrots.
• Coconut milk: Extracted from the juice of grated pulp of coconuts. It's got a slightly sweet, rich, and full flavor. 
• Shallot: To give more flavor to the carrots.

How to Prepare Hoppers, Beef Curry, and Tropical Carrots

You can find a printable recipe with a step-by-step description at the bottom of this blog.

Preparation Beef Curry

1. Roast the dry spice mixture in a skillet for 3 minutes. Grind to a powder.
2. Heat oil in a frying pan and add the shallot, pepper, turmeric, and curry leaves; stir fry for 3 minutes.
3. Add the meat and brown on all sides for 5 minutes. Next, add the coconut milk and dry spice mixture. Stir and let it simmer for 10 minutes.
4. Sieve the soaked tamarind and add extra water to the put. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for two to three hours until the meat is tender. 

Preparation Sri Lankan Hoppers

1. Soak the uncooked rice for 3 hours in water. Dissolve the sugar in water and add the yeast; let it start working. Drain the rice and grind it in a kitchen machine. Add the cooked rice. Grind until you've almost got a smooth mixture.
2. Put the grind rice in a bowl and add the yeast mixture. Mix everything well.
3. Cover with plastic foil and put in a warm place for about 8 - 12 hours. It will smell a bit sour and have a distinctly yeasty smell. Add coconut milk and mix. 
4. Heat a skillet on medium heat. Brush the bottom with oil. Pour a bit of batter (about ¼ cup, depending on the size of the frying pan). Give it a quick swirl. Cover the skillet and cook for 2 minutes. When the center is puffed up and is a bit shiny, loosen the edges with a spatula and take the hopper out of the pan. Serve hot.