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Kuih cara manis
Mini pandan pancakes
Kuih cara manis: bite-sized pandan coconut pancakes with a sugar centre
Kuih cara manis are cooked in a cast-iron pan of shallow flower-shaped cups, the same pan used for the savoury kuih cara berlauk, and Malay families make both for breakfast or teatime, especially on weekend mornings in Pahang and Negeri Sembilan. A thin pandan coconut batter sets into soft little flowers, and a pinch of sugar dropped into each centre melts into a glossy pool. They take minutes and are best eaten warm. An aebleskiver or takoyaki pan works if you have no kuih cara mould. Chef's tip: adding the sugar too soon makes it sink and burn; wait until the batter edges have set but the middle is still wet.
- Total time
- 30 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 3 ½ oz plain flour
- 1 egg
- ¾ cup coconut milk
- 3 ½ tbsp pandan juicefrom 5 leaves blended with 50 ml water and squeezed
- 1 tbsp caster sugar
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 tbsp neutral oilfor the mould
- 3 tbsp granulated sugarfor the centres
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Whisk 3 ½ oz plain flour, 1 egg, ¾ cup coconut milk, 3 ½ tbsp pandan juice, 1 tbsp caster sugar and 1 pinch salt into a smooth, thin batter like single cream. Strain it and rest for 10 minutes.
10 minStep 2: Heat the kuih cara pan over a medium-low heat for 3 minutes and brush every cup with 1 tbsp neutral oil.
3 minStep 3: Fill each cup almost to the top with batter. Cook for about 1 minute, until the edges turn pale and set but the centre is still liquid.
1 minStep 4: Drop a pinch of 3 tbsp granulated sugar into the middle of each. Cover the pan with a lid and cook for 2–3 minutes more, until the tops are set and the sugar has melted.
3 minStep 5: Lift out with a skewer and repeat with the rest of the batter, oiling the cups each time. Serve warm, sugar side up.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 255 kcal
- Protein
- 5 g
- Carbs
- 32 g
- Fat
- 13 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does kuih cara manis take?
- About 30 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 20 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 plain flour?
- Self-raising flour, same amount (then leave out the baking powder).
- What can I use instead of egg?
- 1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water per egg, left for 5 minutes (baking only; vegan).
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