Monday, 2 October 2006

George Alagiah's Pancakes With Coconut Filling

George says: 'My mother used to serve these pancakes as a treat for breakfast when I was a child in Sri Lanka.'

Ingredients

FOR THE PANCAKES
(Everybody has their own way of making them; I use this recipe)
100g/3½oz plain flour
A tiny pinch of salt
2 large eggs
200ml/7floz milk
75ml/5tbsp water
Butter to grease the pan

FOR THE FILLING
100g/3½oz desiccated coconut
½ cup hot water (not boiling)
4tbsp date syrup
60g/2½oz roasted cashew nuts or Fairtrade Brazil nuts

Method
Serves 4-6

1. To make the pancake batter, mix the flour and salt. Break the eggs into it and start whisking. Pour the milk and water (mixed) little by little. Keep mixing until you have a nice smooth consistency. Leave to one side.

2. Put the coconut into a small bowl. Add the water, little by little. It should all get absorbed. Add the date syrup to the coconut (you can vary the amount according to taste). Crush the cashew or Brazil nuts in a mortar and add to the coconut. Mix all the ingredients. Leave to one side.

3. Now, cook the pancakes. I use a non-stick frying pan. Pour 2tbsp of the pancake mix into the pan and tilt it around 'til it has spread across the bottom of the pan. Wait 'til it's begun to turn golden and then – here's the tricky bit – flip it over (we have family competitions to see who can do it without ending up with a half-cooked pancake draped over the side of the cooker). Once both sides are cooked, keep warm in the oven. Repeat the process until you have about four to six pancakes.

4. Put the filling in the middle of the pancakes and roll them over.

5. Enjoy!

Recipe from A Fair Feast compiled by Vicky Bhogal (£9.99, Simon & Schuster UK)

For more info, visit www.simonsays.co.uk.

Always look for Fairtrade ingredients.