Pancakes with Coconut and Jaggery
Pancakes with Coconut and Jaggery are a treat for Pancake Day or any other day. Made with a basic batter of flour, eggs and milk, they are then taken a level up with a Mangalorean filling of coconut, jaggery and cardamom.
It is Shrove Tuesday today and I have come up with a special marriage between English style pancakes and a Mangalorean style filling with coconut and jaggery. They are my new favourite 'Pancakes with Jaggery and Coconut'!!! Yummy today and always as they have a traditional Mangalorean style filling!! A perfect excuse to reconnect with family and friends!!
what is Shrove Tuesday?
On this Shrove Tuesday, I have a special recipe in which an English style pancake is married with a Mangalorean style filling of coconut and jaggery. They are my most favourite 'Pancakes with Coconut and Jaggery'!!
The word ‘shrove’ comes from the Old English verb to ‘shrive’. To shrive means to confess all sins which are absolved by a priest before the beginning of Lent.
Shrove Tuesday also known as Pancake Day, is a deeply rooted ancient religious custom and is observed by several Christian denominations, including Anglicans (Episcopalians), Lutherans, Methodists and Catholics.
Long before the advent of freezers, a feast would be held on Shrove Tuesday (the day before Ash Wednesday) to use up all the food that would go off during the 40 days of Lent. Because pancakes were a way to use up eggs, milk and butter, making pancakes on Shrove Tuesday/Pancake Day became a tradition in a number of countries including England, which then transferred this tradition to the Americas.
Traditionally, devout Christians could not eat meat, fish, fats, eggs and dairy during the 40-day abstinence period of Lent. Pancake Day was therefore a licence to indulge and overeat before fasting for Lent. These days a lot of people abstain or give up on some small luxuries such as chocolate, cakes and alcohol. Some of them even, give up eating meat and it is wonderful to see that abstaining totally from sweets, red meats and alcohol also has some health benefits, if one can stick to it for the duration of the Lent. So, bravo to those who have the determination and the drive to maintain abstinence during the Lenten season from some of their favourite food!!
Did you know 'Mardi Gras' is the French name for 'Shrove Tuesday' which translates as fat Tuesday?
My first memory of Shrove Tuesday was when I was working at a law firm in Sydney a few years ago. On one Shrove Tuesday morning, whilst I was quietly working at my desk, I could get delicious smells from the office kitchen. After a quick chat with my Anglo-Indian colleague at that time, we joined forces to venture into the office kitchen which was down the corridor from us and to our surprise, found that two other colleagues were preparing pancakes (one was English and the other an Aussie) for morning tea. I had no idea what Shrove Tuesday or Pancake Day was at that time, as we never had Pancake Day in the days gone by. We the people of Mangalore and Udupi, went straight through to Ash Wednesday and surely have missed out on a lot of pancakes! What a pity?
Upon asking a question as to why we had a special morning tea, they explained to me that it was Pancake Day, the day before Ash Wednesday, a day to indulge before the beginning of Lent or a period of 40-day abstinence.
The department had a grand morning tea, and those pancakes left a good taste in my mouth. I came home and tried a version of those pancakes after a few weeks, as I thought it would be something that I would like to do on the future Pancake Days.
The pancakes I am making today are made with a handful of pantry and fridge staples – flour, eggs, salt, milk, vanilla and a dash of butter. They are easy to make and easy to fill. For the filling, I have used a traditional Mangalorean style filling of freshly grated coconut, jaggery (palm sugar) and powdered cardamoms.
They are delicious and go fast because they are soft, and the filling adds a flavoursome finish.
As they are easy enough to prepare, I have not included any steps and images of cooking these pancakes.
I hope you enjoy making these 'Pancakes with Coconut and Jaggery' and I hope your family enjoys them as much as my family does!!
Pancakes with Coconut and Jaggery
Ingredients
Ingredients for the filling
- 5 tbsp. powdered jaggery 80g or to taste
- 2 cups freshly grated coconut 180g
- 1½-2 tsp. freshly ground cardamom powder or to taste
Ingredients for the pancakes
- 2 cups plain flour/all-purpose flour approx. 300g
- 2 eggs well beaten
- ¾ tsp. salt or to taste
- 2 cups full cream milk approx. 575 mL
- 1 tsp. vanilla essence optional
- 2 tbsp. melted butter plus 2 tbsp. extra to grease pan
Instructions
Method for the filling
- Combine powdered jaggery, coconut and ground cardamom well. Set aside.
Method for the Pancakes
- Sift the flour and salt into a deep bowl and make a well in the centre. Pour the beaten eggs, gradually stirring the flour. Slowly add half the milk and stir until all the flour is absorbed. Continue stirring then gradually stir in the rest of the milk ensuring there are no lumps. Do not overwork the batter. Add vanilla and melted butter. Stir to combine. Set aside for 30 minutes.
- Heat a medium size non-stick frying pan (approx. 22cm-24cm) or your non-stick crepe pan. Grease lightly with butter. Pour 1/3 cup batter or enough batter to make a thin layer on the surface of the pan and cook for 1-2 minutes or until bubbles appear on the surface. Lift the edges gently to check if the bottom is golden brown. Once golden, turn using a spatula and cook for a further 40 seconds or 1 minute. Slip the pancake on to a piece of parchment paper.
- Continue in the same way until all the batter is used.
- Cool the pancakes for 15 minutes.
Assembling the Pancakes
- To assemble the pancakes, place a pancake on a clean surface with the not so pretty side facing you (the good side is the one which is more evenly browned). Spoon 1½ tbsp. of the filling in the edge closer to your hand. Fold the two sides in and roll the pancake like a spring roll.
- Continue in the same way with the rest of the pancakes. Serve immediately with your favourite cup of tea or Masala Coffee.
Notes
- Jaggery can be purchased from your local Indian grocery store.
- I use frozen freshly grated coconut from the freezer section of my local Indian grocery store.
- If you have a non-stick crepe pan, you may use the crepe pan for frying the pancakes.
Hi, I’m Catherine!
I’m all about creating tasty Indian dishes with whatever’s on hand, even when I’m short on time or budget. I love turning simple ingredients into flavorful delights. Join me on this culinary adventure where we’ll explore the magic of Indian cuisine, one delicious dish at a time!
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