AI-generated image
Kilanji
Rice crepes with coconut banana sauce
Kilanji: Lakshadweep's thin rice crepes with a sweet sauce of coconut milk, banana and jaggery
On the coral islands of Lakshadweep, kilanji is the treat for weddings, Eid mornings and a welcome guest. Thin, soft crepes of soaked rice and egg, or rice alone as here, are folded and drenched in a warm sauce of coconut milk sweetened with coconut jaggery and full of mashed ripe banana and cardamom. The islanders often add egg to the batter; this version keeps it vegan with a touch of cooked rice for softness. The common mistake is a gritty batter: the rice needs a full four hours' soak and a long, fine grind, or the crepes tear. Chef's tip: keep the sauce barely warm, never boiling, so the coconut milk stays silky.
- Total time
- 290 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the crepes
- 5 ½ oz raw ricesoaked 4 hours
- 2 tbsp cooked rice
- 1 ¼ cups water
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 tbsp coconut oil for the pan
For the sauce
- 1 ¾ cups coconut milk
- 3 ½ oz coconut or cane jaggerygrated
- 2 ripe bananasmashed
- ½ tsp ground cardamom
Shop this recipe on Amazon
Spices & pantry
Fresh ingredients (1)
Links open Amazon in a new tab. As an Amazon Associate, WhatToEat.Today earns from qualifying purchases.
Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Drain 5 ½ oz raw rice and grind with 2 tbsp cooked rice and 1 ¼ cups water for 4–5 minutes to a completely smooth, pourable batter like single cream. Stir in 1 pinch salt.
6 minStep 2: Melt 3 ½ oz coconut or cane jaggery in 50 ml water over low heat, strain out any grit, then stir in 1 ¾ cups coconut milk, 2 ripe bananas and ½ tsp ground cardamom. Warm gently for 4 minutes until steaming; do not boil.
6 minStep 3: Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat and wipe with 1 tbsp coconut oil for the pan. Pour in a small ladle of batter, swirl thin and cover for 1 minute.
2 minStep 4: Cook until the crepe is set, white and lifts at the edges, without browning. Fold into quarters and stack. Repeat.
15 minStep 5: Lay 3–4 crepes in each bowl and ladle the warm sauce over. Leave 5 minutes so they soak before serving.
5 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 470 kcal
- Protein
- 5 g
- Carbs
- 70 g
- Fat
- 21 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does kilanji take?
- About 290 minutes in total: 260 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 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 raw rice?
- Any long-grain rice, same amount.
- What can I use instead of cooked rice?
- Any long-grain rice, same amount.
Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to cook it.
Rate this recipe
Sign in to rate and review this recipe.
You might also like
SakarpadaSweet fried dough diamonds
Sakarpada (shakarpara) are little sweet diamonds of a rich dough made with ghee, milk and sugar, fried until golden and crunchy. They are a Diwali favourite with tea, and the cubes go into bhusu too. They keep for weeks in an air-tight tin.
Paneer biryaniRice and moong dal in coconut milk
A mild, creamy biryani: rice and husked green gram roasted in ghee, then cooked in coconut milk with peas, carrots, potatoes, peanuts and cashews, and finished with soft fried paneer and a fresh coriander yogurt. Serve hot, garnished with more fried cashews and paneer.
Kartoshka cakeCocoa and cake crumb truffles
Soviet cafés and school canteens sold these knobbly brown 'potatoes' for a few kopecks, and they began as a thrifty way to use up sponge and biscuit trimmings at the bakery. Crumbs are bound with butter and sweetened condensed milk, flavoured with cocoa and vanilla, shaped into little potatoes, rolled in cocoa and finished with two dabs of pale butter cream for the sprouts. They are fudgy and dense like a brownie truffle, need no oven, and children love making them. Traditional bakers added a spoonful of rum, an optional extra for adult batches only; this version is alcohol-free with vanilla. The usual slip is coarse crumbs, which make the potatoes crack, so blitz them as fine as sand. Chef's tip: chill the shaped potatoes for at least 20 minutes so they hold their shape and slice cleanly.
Russian