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Alle belle
Alle belle (alebele): thin Goan pancakes rolled around coconut and palm jaggery
Alle belle are the tea-time sweet of Goan Catholic homes: soft, lacy pancakes, sometimes tinted with a little green from pandan or turmeric leaf, rolled up around a sticky filling of fresh coconut and dark palm jaggery (godd). They appear at feast-day teas, at village fairs and in school tiffin boxes, and they contain egg in the batter. The common mistake is a thick batter, which gives heavy pancakes that crack when rolled; it should pour like single cream and spread thinly with a swirl of the pan. Chef's tip: cook the filling until it is sticky but still soft, then add a pinch of salt, because the salt makes the palm jaggery taste richer.
- Total time
- 45 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the filling
- 7 oz grated fresh coconut
- 4 oz palm jaggery (godd) or dark jaggerygrated
- ½ tsp ground cardamom
- 1 pinch salt
For the pancakes
- 4 ½ oz plain flour
- 1 egg
- 1 cup milk
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 tbsp butter or ghee for the pan
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Cook 7 oz grated fresh coconut and 4 oz palm jaggery (godd) or dark jaggery in a pan over low heat for 8–10 minutes, stirring, until the jaggery melts and the mixture is sticky but still moist. Stir in ½ tsp ground cardamom and 1 pinch salt and cool.
10 minStep 2: Whisk 4 ½ oz plain flour, 1 egg, 1 cup milk and 1 pinch salt to a smooth batter as thin as pouring cream. Rest 10 minutes.
12 minStep 3: Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat and wipe with a little 1 tbsp butter or ghee for the pan. Pour in a small ladle of batter and swirl to a thin circle.
2 minStep 4: Cook 1 minute until the edge lifts and the top looks dry, flip and cook 20 seconds more. The pancake should be pale with light brown spots.
2 minStep 5: Spoon 2 tbsp filling along one edge, fold in the sides and roll up. Repeat with the rest and serve warm or at room temperature.
15 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 390 kcal
- Protein
- 9 g
- Carbs
- 48 g
- Fat
- 18 g
- Fibre
- 5 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does alle belle take?
- About 45 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- What can I use instead of grated fresh coconut?
- Desiccated coconut soaked in hot water for 15 minutes, about three quarters of the weight.
- What can I use instead of palm jaggery (godd) or dark jaggery?
- Dark brown or muscovado sugar, same amount.
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