Prep Tools

Idiyappam / String Hopper Press

A hand press that extrudes rice-flour dough into fine noodle nests for steamed string hoppers.

An idiyappam press is a cylinder fitted with a fine perforated disc through which steamed rice-flour dough is pushed to form thin, noodle-like strands. The strands are piped in coils onto small mats and steamed into delicate string hoppers, a South Indian and Sri Lankan staple. The press is turned by a screw or lever to force the soft dough through the tiny holes.

An idiyappam press is a small hand-operated cylindrical tool, fitted at one end with a fine-hole disc, that forces a moist rice-flour dough through dozens of tiny pinholes to lay down thread-thin strands of dough. A quick squeeze and a wrist-twist produces a lacy, coiled 'nest' on a greased plate, which is then steamed for a few minutes into idiyappam (string hoppers) — a soft, springy cake of rice noodles that is a breakfast and dinner staple across Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Sri Lanka. The defining feature is the disc: a dense pattern of small round holes, the finest in any press set, visibly different from the star-shaped murukku and larger sev discs that share the same body.

The press belongs to the murukku/achu family of South Indian tools, which is why it is commonly sold as a multi-disc set with interchangeable plates. Traditional versions are hand-pounded brass with a wooden or brass plunger; modern ones are stainless steel cylinders with a spring-loaded handle. Capacity is deliberately small — most home presses hold 250–500 g of dough, enough for 8–12 nests — because the work goes in batches that move straight from press to steamer. It is worth distinguishing the idiyappam press from the sevai maker, which rolls boiled rice into long noodles rather than extruding raw dough, and from the kuzhal paniyaram pan, which griddles batter in hemispherical cups.

The press is mechanically simple, but it is unforgiving of imprecise dough. The strands only hold together if the flour has been roasted or steam-dried (raw rice flour collapses in the steamer), the dough has the right hydration, and the disc is lightly oiled and used quickly before the surface dries out. Get those three things right and the press is a fast, almost meditative tool; get them wrong and the same tool produces torn threads and clogged holes. In other words, the cook's hand and the dough are as much a part of the tool as the cylinder itself.

Alternatives

A Sevai Or Murukku PressA Potato Ricer With A Fine Plate

Types & varieties

Brass murukku achu with idiyappam disc

Traditional South Indian press with a heavier brass body, often handed down in families. Uses a separate fine-hole disc specifically for string hoppers and pairs with coarser discs for murukku and sev.

Stainless steel idiyappam press

Modern, rust-resistant, and lighter than brass; the most common style in contemporary home kitchens. Usually sold as part of a multi-disc set.

Multi-disc sev/noodle press

Cylinder body with interchangeable plates for idiyappam, sev, murukku, and chakli. Versatile and economical, but the idiyappam disc must be the fine pinhole type, not a decorative or star plate.

Tabletop/electric extruder

Larger motorized press used in commercial kitchens and Sri Lankan nool puttu stalls. Produces consistent strands at volume but is impractical for most home cooks.

Choosing and caring for the press

If you are buying new, a stainless steel multi-disc set is the most useful purchase: one tool covers idiyappam, sev, murukku, and chakli, and the disc you actually want is the one with the smallest, most densely packed round holes. Brass presses are beautiful and have a satisfying weight, but they need more care — they should be dried immediately after washing and will develop a patina over time. A press 'stops working' almost always because the disc has clogged with dried dough; clearing the holes with a thin skewer or bottle brush right after use is the single most useful maintenance habit.

Identify the idiyappam disc by its fine, closely spaced pinholes — not the star or flower shapes used for murukku and chakli.
After every use, push a thin skewer or wire through each hole to clear residual dough before washing.
Dry a brass press thoroughly after washing to prevent oxidation; stainless steel can simply be towel-dried.
For stubborn residue on a brass press, soak briefly in warm water with a little tamarind or vinegar, then rinse and dry.

Common uses

Extruding rice-flour dough into thin noodle nests for steaming idiyappam (string hoppers), served with coconut chutney, sambar, or curry.Pressing steamed rice-flour dough for nool puttu (Sri Lankan string hoppers), typically served with coconut sambol and a spicy curry.Making sev, murukku, and chakli when the same press body is fitted with coarser decorative discs.Shaping noodles from wheat or millet flour doughs in adapted regional recipes, where a slightly wetter dough is required.

Tips & pitfalls

Use roasted (or steamed-and-dried) rice flour, not raw — raw flour strands dissolve or collapse in the steamer.
Aim for a dough that feels like soft putty: moist enough to extrude as continuous strands, stiff enough to hold a nest shape on the plate.
Lightly oil the disc and the idli/idiyappam plate before pressing; ungreased strands stick and tear as you lift the press.
Work quickly once dough is loaded — the exposed surface dries fast, and dry dough is the most common cause of broken strands.
Twist the press in a spiral motion over the greased plate to form the classic bird's-nest shape, then move it straight to the steamer.
Avoid pressing too hard at the start; a steady, even hand pressure gives uniform strands and prevents the disc from clogging or popping off.
Clean the disc immediately after use — dried dough in the holes is the number-one reason a press 'stops working' mid-batch.

Good to know

Also called: String hopper press, sevai press, idiyappam achu, murukku press (when fitted with the idiyappam disc), nool puttu press
Region: South India (Tamil Nadu, Kerala) and Sri Lanka; widely used across South Asian diaspora kitchens
Materials: Traditional: hand-pounded brass body with brass or wooden plunger. Modern: stainless steel cylinder with spring-loaded handle
Capacity: Roughly 250–500 g of dough per load, enough for 8–12 individual nests
Disc type: Closely spaced fine pinholes — the finest disc in a multi-disc set, distinct from the larger star and decorative discs used for murukku, sev, and chakli
Not to be confused with: A sevai maker (rolls boiled rice noodles) or a kuzhal paniyaram pan (griddles batter in cups)
Flour requirement: Requires pre-cooked rice flour (roasted dry, or steamed and dried); raw rice flour will not hold its shape after steaming
Power source: Hand-operated; electric/tabletop extruders exist but are uncommon in home kitchens