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Pani Pol Pancakes

SRI LANKA

Sweet coconut and fragrant cinnamon combine in what I can safely say is the best pancake I've ever had

SUBMITTED BY

Eshi

If you love pancakes, get ready for their light and delicious cousins: pani pol, or coconut stuffed pancakes! This Sri Lankan dish is delightfully light, perfectly sweet, and full of interesting textures. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about them since they graced Episode 6 of my “5 Breakfasts from 5 Countries” series. If you love coconut and bready breakfast foods, I urge you to try pani pol.

Have you ever heard someone describe a food they love and thought to yourself, “Well, I have to try that–it sounds irresistible!” That is exactly what happened when I received a submission for pani pol from Eshi, who lives in London but was born in Sri Lanka. The way she spoke so eloquently about this dish perfectly parallels its beauty and taste, and I was so excited to try it. Eshi also tells us that the combination of cinnamon and coconut is emblematic of Sri Lanka, and I was so honored to taste this delicious roll of Sri Lankan goodness! Coconut is one of the country’s main exports, and Sri Lankan cinnamon is very high quality. This recipe is truly special for so many reasons.

As I was cooking, the alluring aroma of cardamom, cinnamon, and coconut filled my home, and the taste was somehow even better. The pillowy outer crepe layer was subtly sweet and soft, and the jaggery gave it a very nice flavor. (Feel free to substitute with dark brown sugar if you don’t have jaggery.) Pani pol is a coconut lover’s dream, and it’s easy to see why Eshi’s father loved this food so much.

I was very nervous when making this dish because I wanted to honor Eshi’s dad by producing excellent pani pol. Making the crepes, filling them, and rolling them was intimidating, but I don’t think they could have turned out better. My pani pol definitely fed my heart and soul, just as Eshi promised it would.

Watch the Video

Pani Pol Pancakes

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Equipment

  • blender

Ingredients
  

For filling

  • 1½ cups desiccated coconut
  • ¾ cup coconut milk
  • ¾ cup grated jaggery
  • pinch salt
  • ¼ cup water
  • ¼ tsp ground cardamom
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp vanilla

For pancakes

  • 1⅔ cups flour
  • 2 cups coconut milk
  • ¼ cup oil
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 2 Tbsp sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • ½ tsp baking powder
  • ¼ tsp turmeric

Instructions
 

Make the filling

  • Add the coconut milk into a saucepan and heat until it's simmering (not boiling). When it starts to simmer, add the desiccated coconut and stir to combine.
  • Remove from the heat and allow the coconut to cool down. This also allows the desiccated coconut to completely absorb the milk. Store the coconut in a bowl, cover and set aside until needed.
  • Combine the jaggery, salt, water, cardamom and cinnamon in a saucepan, and heat over medium heat while stirring occasionally until the jaggery has melted completely.
  • Bring the sugar syrup to a boil. Add the coconut to the sugar syrup and mix well.
  • The coconut sugar mix will be runny, with extra moisture. Cook the mix over medium heat, until the sugar syrup is absorbed by the coconut and you have a sticky coconut mix.
  • Let the mix cool down to room temperature, while you make the crepes.

Make pancake batter

  • Place all pancake ingredients in a blender. Start with the liquid ingredients, and then add the dry ingredients.
  • Blend until you have a smooth crepe batter. Let the crepe batter sit at room temperature, covered, for about 15-30 minutes to rest.

Make pancakes

  • Heat a 6 inch or 8 inch non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Brush some oil on the surface of the pan when it’s hot.
  • Pour ¼ cup of the batter into the hot pan, while swirling, to evenly coat the surface of the pan. The batter will create bubbles on the surface if it's hot enough (this is characteristic of Sri Lankan crepes, but it's optional). Cover any big holes with some loose batter.
  • Cook for about 30 seconds, until the edges turn golden brown in color.
  • Loosen the crepe and flip it over, and cook for a further 15-30 seconds.
  • Both sides should be golden to dark golden brown in color.
  • Flip the crepes over on to a plate and stack them on top of each other until you have cooked all the crepes.
  • Once all the crepes are cooked, cover the stack with a clean cloth and let it cool.

Assemble

  • Spread about 2 tbsp (or less, a little goes a long way) of the coconut filling in the center of each cooled crepe. Fold one end over the filling. Fold the edges in and roll up the crepe roll to form a log/roll - similar to how spring rolls are rolled up.
  • Place the crepes on a plate, with the seam side down. Repeat with all the crepes.
  • Cover the crepes with a cloth or plastic wrap until needed.
  • Eat them plain, or with a cup of tea. Enjoy!

Notes

Recipe inspired by The Flavor Bender
Course: Breakfast
Region: Asia

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