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Halape (හලපේ, finger-millet and jaggery parcels steamed in leaves)
Finger millet and jaggery leaf parcels
Earthy kurakkan dough wrapped round coconut and jaggery, steamed in kenda leaves
In village homes in the south and the hill country, halape is an afternoon snack and a temple-day treat, steamed in the large, heart-shaped leaves of the kenda tree, which leave a faint grassy perfume. The dough is kurakkan, finger-millet flour, which is brick-brown, slightly bitter and very filling; it wraps a sweet layer of grated coconut and dark kithul jaggery. Once steamed, the parcels are dense, moist and fudgy, a little like a rustic steamed pudding, and they are best warm with a cup of plain tea. Nothing here was ever made with egg: steaming sets the millet starch and the jaggery melts into the coconut and holds it together. Banana leaves work well if you cannot find kenda. Chef's tip: the common mistake is spreading the dough too thick; keep it about 5 mm so the middle steams through before the outside turns hard.
- Total time
- 55 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 5
Ingredients
For the dough
- 2 ⅛ oz grated coconut
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¾ cup warm waterabout
For the filling
- 5 ½ oz grated coconut
- 5 ½ oz kithul or palm jaggeryfinely grated
- ½ tsp ground cardamom
For wrapping
- 10 kenda or banana leaf piecesabout 20 x 15 cm, softened over a flame
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Mix 5 ½ oz grated coconut, 5 ½ oz kithul or palm jaggery and ½ tsp ground cardamom with your fingers until the jaggery is evenly spread and the mixture clumps slightly. Set aside.
Step 2: In a separate bowl mix 9 oz finger millet (kurakkan) flour, 2 ⅛ oz grated coconut and ¼ tsp salt. Add ¾ cup warm water gradually and knead into a soft, pliable dough that holds a fingerprint without cracking.
Step 3: Divide the dough into 10 balls. Wet your hands and press one ball onto a leaf into an oval about 5 mm thick.
Step 4: Spread 2 tbsp of filling over one half of the oval. Fold the leaf in half so the dough closes over the filling, and fold the open ends under.
Step 5: Repeat with the remaining dough, filling and 10 kenda or banana leaf pieces.
Step 6: Steam over boiling water, covered, for 20–25 minutes, until the dough darkens, feels firm when pressed through the leaf and a skewer pushed into the centre comes out without raw paste.
25 minStep 7: Rest for 5 minutes and serve warm, opening the leaf at the table.
5 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 330 kcal
- Protein
- 6 g
- Carbs
- 56 g
- Fat
- 11 g
- Fibre
- 8 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does halape (හලපේ, finger-millet and jaggery parcels steamed in leaves) take?
- About 55 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 5 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of kithul or palm jaggery?
- Dark brown or muscovado sugar, same amount.
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