This delicious sweet, Aasmi is made with leftover string hoppers.
20 string hoppers *
oil to fry
3 tbsp sugar
1/4 cup water
1/4 tsp rose essence
pinch pink food colouring
* Do the steps on this link to make plain string hoppers. Freshly made string hoppers are sold in Sri lankan take out restaurants as well.
Sun dry the string hoppers or dry in a warm oven till it is stiff. To dry it in the oven, heat it to 400F and leave the string hoppers flat in a cookie sheet and bake for 5 minutes till it is dry.
Image published on the Asia Food Guide
In a pan heat sugar and water to make a thick pourable syrup. Add rose essence and pink food colouring and stir. Leave it aside until the string hoppers are fried.
Heat oil about 1" in a pan and fry the dried string hoppers.
Fry one at a time, if the frying pan is large make sure to give some space for the string hopper to swell. Fry till it is golden in colour and crispy, turn it once to fry the other side. Don't fry it too much because it will harden a little when it cools.
Drain it onto a paper towel and pour sugar syrup over the fried string hoppers.
These sweets are known as aasmi a traditional sweet which can be stored for 2 to 3 days in an air-tight container.
To all the dear friends who haven't tasted or made string hoppers it is like a steamed homemade noodle :)
Many of you may know it as idiyappam and idiyappa.
This sweet goes to Diwali special, serve it festival potluck, only series sweets and desserts, my diwali my way, diwali festival of lights.