String hopper trays — known in Sinhalese as indiyappam thattu — are the flat, open-weave steaming decks that give Sri Lanka's beloved string hoppers their characteristic round shape. Each tray holds a pressed nest of rice-flour dough while it sits in the steamer, the open lattice or grid surface allowing steam to circulate freely and cook the strands evenly. Without a good set of trays, making string hoppers at home in any quantity is a slow and awkward business; with them, a whole batch can go into the steamer in a single pass.
String hoppers themselves are one of Sri Lanka's most enduring everyday dishes. A simple dough of rice flour, water and salt is pressed through a string hopper maker into thin, delicate strands that curl into soft noodle nests on the tray surface. Once steamed, they come to the table alongside pol sambol, kiri hodi, potato curry or a fish or meat curry — a combination that appears on breakfast and dinner tables across the island in equal measure.
This range covers three distinct material types, each with its own character. The plastic trays have a geometric interlaced grid surface and a solid raised rim; they are consistent in size and straightforward to keep clean. The cane trays are woven from a combination of cane and bamboo strips in an open square-lattice pattern, with the rim bound in wrapped natural fibre — a lightweight option that carries the craft tradition of Sri Lankan weavers. The Palmyra trays are worked from the fibrous material of the Palmyra palm, a heritage craft associated with the artisan communities of Sri Lanka's northern and eastern regions, particularly around Jaffna.
Size and pack options vary by material. Cane trays are available in 12 cm, 21 cm and 25 cm diameters; Palmyra trays come in 12 cm, 15 cm and 16 cm; and plastic trays are offered in 12 cm and 15 cm. Most sizes can be ordered individually or in packs of six or twelve — useful when cooking for a family or for anyone who wants a full steamer load ready at once. The 12 cm cane tray is also listed under the traditional name Lavariya Thattu.
Because the three materials behave differently, care varies between variants. The plastic trays can be wiped down after use. The natural woven trays — both cane and Palmyra — should be kept dry once cooking is done to preserve the integrity of the weave and the bound rim. Care instructions for whichever variant you choose are worth keeping in mind before your first use.
