Words and Photos Theodora Hurustiati

Coconut and pandan leaves – known also as pandanus or screwpine in English – is a match made in heaven, don’t you think? Well, I think so! When combined, their aromas just blend harmoniously and complement each other. It’s not a coincidence that they’re often present together in Indonesian culinary specialities – both in savory and sweet dishes.

I’m a sucker for desserts with pandan and coconut as ingredients. Among many, these dadar gulung kelapa – coconut rolled crepes – are probably the easiest and quickest to prepare at home. I’d often bring them to potluck parties and they’re always such a success with my Italian friends that they usually go for seconds and thirds, if not fourths! I used desiccated coconut to make the filling as, otherwise, I’d have to break, scrape and grate a coconut myself if I insisted on using fresh ingredients. Use the freshly grated coconut when you can and your coconut crepes will surely taste better than mine.

Makes 8 to 10 pieces

100g all-purpose flour

25g caster sugar

A pinch of salt

1 egg

100g thick coconut milk

125g water

2-3 (5-6g) pandan leaves

A few drops of pandan essence

Vegetable oil (optional)

• While the coconut jam is cooling, prepare the crepes. Cut pandan leaves into small pieces. Blend with water.

• Strain and press through a fine sieve to squeeze out as much of the green liquid as you can. Discard the pandan fibers. You should try to obtain 125 milliliters (1 milliliter = 1 gram) of pandan water. If not, add some more water.

• Place flour, sugar and salt in a bowl. Crack the egg in and include coconut milk. Beat into a thick batter and gradually add pandan water.

• Add a few drops of pandan essence to enhance the green color. Whisk into a smooth batter.

• Heat a good quality non-stick pan – of about 18-cm in diameter – over medium heat. Oil pan with a veil of vegetable oil if you’re concerned that the crepes could stick.

• Pour in about 40 ml (almost half of a ladle spoon) of batter into the hot pan. Twirl the pan immediately to allow the batter to spread and cover its surface and form a really thin crepe – possibly only 1-mm thick.

• Cook for about 1 minute, just until the crepe turns into deeper green color and becomes translucent. Flip and cook the other side for a few seconds. Repeat until you’ve used all the batter.

• Place a heaping tablespoon (about 30 grams) of filling over the lower bottom of each crepe. Fold the bottom, left and right edges inwards like an envelope. Roll like a cigar to enclose the filling. Continue with the rest of the crepes.

• Serve warm or at room temperature – possibly with a cup of a hot, sweet and thick Javanese tea.

Makes ±300 grams

100g desiccated coconut

100g thick coconut milk

100g water

75g shaved gula Jawa (Javanese palm sugar)

1 (2g) pandan leaf

• Fold and tie pandan leaf into a knot. Place in a saucepan along with the rest of the unti ingredients. If you use freshly grated coconut, skip the coconut milk addition.

• Cook over low heat until it has thickened and becomes slightly dry. You might want to stir it from time to time to prevent the bottom part from burning.  

• Set aside to cool.

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