Kuih Dadar with Gula Melaka Coconut and Salted Coconut Cream

Method

1. Cut the pandan leaves, blend them finely with the water and squeeze through muslin. Leave the juice in a glass in the fridge and a dark green sediment, pati pandan, settles at the bottom. When making the batter, pour off a little of the clear liquid on top and stir up the sediment: the colour and aroma will be much deeper.

   Add in this stepPandan leaves 6Water (for the pandan juice) 75 ml

2. Beat the egg in a bowl and mix in the coconut milk, melted coconut oil, salt and pandan juice. Sift in the flour and cornflour together, whisk until smooth and strain twice through a fine sieve. Cover and rest for 30 minutes. The cornflour makes the crêpes thin yet supple and much less likely to tear.

   Add in this stepEgg ½Coconut milk (for the batter) 105 mlVirgin coconut oil, melted 1 tspSalt (for the batter) 1 pinchPlain flour 65 gCornflour 10 g

3. Finely chop the palm sugar and put it in a 16 cm pan with the water, knotted pandan leaf and salt. Stir over medium heat for 3 min until dissolved, then strain through a fine sieve to remove the sandy grit in palm sugar and return it to the pan.

   Add in this stepPalm sugar (gula melaka) 60 gWater (for the filling) 35 mlPandan leaf, knotted (for the filling) 1Salt (for the filling) 1 pinch

   medium heat

4. Add the coconut and cook over medium-low heat for 10 min, stirring, until the syrup is almost absorbed. Stir the filling coconut milk with the cornflour, add it and stir for 1 more minute until glossy and holding its shape on a spoon. This keeps the filling moist without running. Remove the pandan leaf and cool.

   Add in this stepFreshly grated coconut 100 gThick coconut milk (for the filling) 2 tbspCornflour (for the filling) ½ tsp

   medium-low heat

5. In a 14 cm small saucepan, stir the cream coconut milk, cornflour and salt together while still cold and add the pandan leaf. Stir constantly over low heat for 3 min until thickened like custard, then turn off the heat. Hard boiling makes it split, so heat only until it barely bubbles at the edge.

   Add in this stepThick coconut milk (for the cream) 80 mlCornflour (for the cream) 1 tspSalt (for the cream) 1 pinchPandan leaf (for the cream) 1

   low heat

6. Heat a 20 cm non-stick pan over medium-low heat and wipe it with an oiled paper towel. Stir the batter, pour in about 3 tbsp and quickly tilt and swirl the pan to spread it very thin. After about 1 minute, when the edges lift and the top is dry, take it out without flipping. Make about 5 in 7 min, keeping them under a cloth.

   Add in this stepVegetable oil (for the pan) 1 tsp

   medium-low heat

7. With the smooth side of each crêpe facing out, add 1.5 tbsp filling, fold in the bottom and sides and roll up tightly into a neat cylinder about 3 cm wide and 9 cm long. Keeping them the same size makes them look professional.

8. Arrange seam side down, then spoon a line of salted coconut cream over the top or serve it in a small bowl alongside. The play of sweet and salty is the heart of this version.