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Lempeng kelapa
Thin coconut pancakes
Lempeng kelapa: thin east-coast Malaysian coconut pancakes for curry or sambal
On Malaysia's east coast, in Terengganu and Kelantan, lempeng is the morning flatbread nobody buys because every home can make it in minutes: flour, freshly grated coconut, salt and water, spread thin on a griddle. It is eaten warm, torn and dipped into sambal tumis or last night's fish or vegetable curry. The mistake is a thick batter; it should spread on its own into a thin round, or the middle stays doughy. Chef's tip: let the batter rest for 10 minutes so the coconut softens and the flour hydrates, which gives lempeng that bend without tearing.
- Total time
- 30 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 7 oz plain flour
- 3 ½ oz freshly grated coconutor unsweetened desiccated, soaked in warm water for 10 minutes
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 shallot (optional)finely chopped
- 1 ¼ cups waterabout
- 2 tsp neutral oil
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Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Mix 7 oz plain flour, 3 ½ oz freshly grated coconut, ½ tsp salt, 1 tsp sugar and 1 shallot in a bowl. Gradually whisk in 1 ¼ cups water until you have a pourable batter, like thick cream. Rest for 10 minutes.
10 minStep 2: Heat a non-stick pan or tawa over a medium heat and wipe with a little 2 tsp neutral oil.
Step 3: Pour in a ladle of batter and spread it quickly with the back of the ladle into a 20 cm round. Cook for 2–3 minutes until the edges lift and the base has golden spots.
3 minStep 4: Flip and cook for 1–2 minutes more until set with no wet patches. Repeat with the rest, wiping the pan with oil each time. Serve warm with curry or sambal.
2 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 290 kcal
- Protein
- 6 g
- Carbs
- 42 g
- Fat
- 11 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does lempeng kelapa 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 vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- 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 sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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