Sri Lankan Watalappan

Dessert

A delicious creamy coconut custard with warming spices, sweetened with kithul jaggery or kithul treacle. Muslim families in Sri Lanka always celebrate the end of Ramadan with this amazing dessert! It is what Muslim neighbours or co-workers share to celebrate any special occasion, even weddings. It has now become a dessert in every Sri Lankan household. Whenever I taste it, I am reminded of the fact that I grew up in a community where we respected culture and experienced love despite differences. This dish is never confined to 2-4 cups – it is made in batches, steamed in ramekins or huge bowls, to be shared with everyone around. A bowl of watalappan is too good to miss out on, and if you’ve had a slice of this steamed pudding, you’ll know why!

Serving size

6-8

Difficulty

Easy

Ingredients

— 10 eggs —450g pure kithul jaggery/ kithul treacle —1 cup thick coconut milk —½ tsp ground cardamom —¼ tsp ground cinnamon (optional) —¼ tsp ground nutmeg (optional) —Handful of raw cashew nuts

Cooking Time

60 min

Intensity

–

Allergens

Dairy, Eggs, Nuts

Method

1. Before you begin, you will need a thin-bottomed, deep cooking pot with a tight lid. The pot must be wide enough to steam the pudding.

2. Fill the pot with water and start boiling on low heat.

3. In a separate pan, add the jaggery with some water and melt it on low heat until dissolved. It is easier if you shave or break the hard jaggery into small pieces.

4. Crack the eggs into a medium sized bowl and add the ground spices to the mixture.

Vanilla essence can be used instead of spice.

5. Whisk the eggs lightly for approximately 2-3 minutes then set aside.

6. Mix the melted jaggery with the thick coconut milk. Cooled jaggery will be slightly thick so use the coconut milk to thin the mixture. 7. Once well mixed, combine the coconut and egg mixtures and mix well using a whisk or a fork for 2-3 minutes. Then strain the mixture into a jug to avoid any lumps.

8. Pour the mixture into an aluminium bowl this is the authentic way or into ramekins or a ceramic dish, and decorate with raw cashew nuts. Cover the bowl with a piece of foil and steam over a steady low - medium heat for 30-45 minutes, ensuring there is no steam escaping from the pan. Alternatively, you could also bake the wattalapan. Fill a baking tray with water half way up and place the covered wattalapan bowl inside the tray and bake in pre-heated oven at 170°C for 60 minutes. Steaming is best as baking the pudding may give a dense texture compared to the authentic steamed version.

9. Serve hot or cold, with plain yogurt, sour cream and a jam of your choice. Enjoy.