Travel: Sri Lanka: Colombo Breakfast - Hoppers!
Irene Khin Wong
Jet lagged, after flying over the Pacific and arriving in Colombo, Sri Lanka at 2am, we
slept for a few hours at the Colonial Galle Face Hotel by Indian Ocean.
Much surprised, when we sat down for breakfast, we immediately got an
eye opener, as we were brought Hoppers with Fish Curry by a young waiter in a colorful sarong.
Hoppers are made from a fermented batter of rice flour, coconut milk and a dash of palm toddy, which lends a sour flavor and fermentation ability. If toddy is not available, yeast is often used. The batter is left to rise, then cooked in a hemispherical wok-like pan.
According to my Indonesian office manager, Leili, there are many types of hoppers including egg, milk and even sweeter varieties, originally introduced by the Dutch during Sri Lanka's trade with Indonesia.