Recently I have developed a sweet tooth. I usually prefer savoury snacks over sweet. With only three weeks away before my due date, I now have the time to indulge a little and have a go at testing a few recipes.
I remember as a child, walking to the night market with my parents and eyeing the tempting sweets that lined the bustling streets of our local area. These sweets were usually bought from the street vendors as special treats rather than made at home.
There are several sweets that spring to mind but one in particular seem straight forward to make; folded pancakes stuffed with sweetened red bean paste and freshly grated coconut. I have almost all the ingredients in the cupboards except the filling which can be easily bought in a Chinese supermarket.
ingredients
160g self raising flour
80g rice flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
2 tablespoons sugar
100ml coconut milk
300ml water
oil for frying
filling
200g sweetened red (azuki) beans
80g fresh grated coconut
pinch of salt
Put the dry pancake ingredients in a mixing bowl. Add the coconut milk and water, stirring to form a runny batter. Rest for at least 30 minutes, preferably a couple of hours.
I am using pre-cooked red beans from a can which is rather too sweet. I make a note to make the red beans myself next time as the recipe by Grace Young is straight forward.
The key to making these pancakes is to have a seasoned flat pan. If you do not have one, use a non-stick frying pan. Lightly grease the pan with a little oil and heat on moderate heat. Using a ladle pour the batter carefully. The idea is to have an even layer of batter to cover the pan. To spread the batter, tilt the pan.
Cover and leave for a few of minutes. When bubbles appear on the surface, carefully spread the red beans and grated coconut. Remember to mix a pinch of salt with the coconut first. Cover the pan again and allow the pancake to cook for a further minute or two until the edges are golden in colour.
Using a flat-bladed knife, fold the pancake into half and ease onto a plate. Serve while warm. The outside should have a lovely crispiness and the inside soft with the filling oozing out.
Makes: 4-6
Cooking time: 15 mins
Hi Cho,
Being a Burmese being away from home for quite some time, your photos and receipes on your website reminds me of home and definitely makes my mouth very watery! Photos are great, the website is fantastic and the recipes are my favourites.
It’s great that you are promoting Burmese food there in the UK. Burmese food here in Sydney, Australia is little known and I just wish we have someone like you here!
Cheers for all the yummy recipes!
Ricky
well, miss sabae im a burmese but now in pakistan , misses my motherland each and every minute, yet i know much of the recipes but i would love to know how to make street foods , snacks like BAEIN MOHNT, YEE MOHNT,MOHT SAEIN MAUN AND SO ON PLEASE DO REPLY.
Hi Cho,
We love your book and your recipes, everything we tried was delicious and brought us back to burma.
There are 2 recipes we would love to try. 1. the sweet pink banana cake you can get at on streets of Yangoon and 2. the thick and rich pancakes one can buy,which is cut with a scissor and sold with lot of fresh grated coconut in a plastic bag. It would be greate if you could help us.
With lots of Metta
Mudar & Annika
I’am so sorry ,I thing you’re doing a good thing there
Hi Cho, Thx for the recipe. I think you can also use melted palm sugar for filling for those who like sweeter one and look brownish. I tried ur recipe n it tastes great.
Hello,
I came across this website from facebook and Love it!!! I did ordered the cook book right now. I cannot wait to get it.
I did looked around burmese cook book with english while I was visiting burma but couldn’t find one. Now I found one!! thank you…. Do you plan to write another book soon???
This looks so yummy….reminds me of pancakes eaten in Burma in my childhood. I remember one with egg and also palm sugar, crispy & sweet. Glad to find a website with Burmese recipes. Will try some of your recipes…I regularly cook Monhingar and Ongno Kauk Swe (Chicken coconut noodles).