Wattalappam - Srilankan Coconut Cream Custard






Wattalappam is a Srilankan dessert prepared using coconut milk & jaggery which is a regional take on the basic milk-egg custard. The sugar that gives sweetness to the traditional custard is replaced by jaggery / palm sugar that gives a nice concoction like flavor. Wattalappam is spiced with nutmeg instead of the usual vanilla.  

I have been reading  Wattalappam recipes from various sources for quite a number of years but the number of eggs made me dizzy.  All the recipes I  have come across for the pass 4 or 5 years have had 10 eggs. I came to know about Wattalappam from a television program in which also, the person adds 10 eggs.  

I knew i had to find an alternative by adding some thickening agent. Then I decided to reduce the liquid content so that I would require only lesser number of eggs. Finally I reworked everything and came up with this recipe which has just two eggs.


You can serve 8 -10 people moderately or just 8 scrumptiously or just four generously…

I prepared one bowl  full (in picture) plus 4 ramekin sized cups. Serve Wattalappam with fruits or nuts to make it more filling. We had it plain.


The old recipes I read had only nutmeg as a spice. Recently I saw the addition of more different types of spices like, cardamom, cinnamon or a combination. I guess nutmeg is traditional ingredient and so i have added only nutmeg. The custard is very good, wobbly, velvety and had a melt in the mouth consistency.


the recipe

eggs - 2
jaggery - 200 gms
cream - 100 mil
hot milk - 100 ml
coconut - half of a medium sized one
nutmeg - 1/3 of  a whole nut

I coated the bowl with jaggery so that it is easy to get it out once it is chilled and it is more sweet with that extra syrup.

Step: 1 - Extract the coconut milk - Grate the coconut or cut the coconut into chunks and put it in a mixer jar and run it for few seconds. Pour the hot milk. Grind the coconut till soft. Pour it through a sieve and extract coconut milk. Keep it aside. (do not add more water)

Step: 2 - Melt the jaggery with 1 tbsp water and strain it to get rid of any impurities.

Step: 3 - Pour the coconut milk into the melted jaggery and mix quickly. If it tends to form lumps, heat it in low flame till the jaggery melts.

Step: 4 - Lightly beat the eggs in a bowl.

Step:5 - Pour a 2 tablespoons of the coconut-jaggery mix into the eggs to temper the eggs. Tempering means stabilizing the temperature otherwise the eggs will curdle. Once it is mixed pour the egg mix into the coconut-jaggery mix and stir well.

Step: 6 - Grate the nutmeg into the custard.

Step: 7 - Strain the whole mix.

Pour into a bowl coated with jaggery and steam it for 20 - 25 minutes. Make sure half of the bowl is immersed in water.

 Let it cool at room temperature. Chill it in the refrigerator for an hour or more and serve. Steaming time differs with quantity.

This pudding can also be baked by placing it in a water bath ( by placing the wattalappam bowl on another bowl half filled with hot water).

enjoy!


A compilation of James Bond Title / Theme music & other JB musings



I know this is a food blog… but I wanted to put some thoughts over here today….which is a spur of moment thought…but it did take some time to find out the original  youtube links without advertisements.

I searched for the hashtag #JamesBond  on Twitter today for an official purpose and saw the theme song for Skyfall by Adele ( in Mashable) that was trending (http://mashable.com/2012/10/04/adele-skyfall-james-bond-theme-video/). 

I listened to it and I just couldn’t stop listening to it and also went to Adele’s website (http://home.adele.tv/).  The reason may be because the lyrics were readable and something like a singalong.


It is the 50th Anniversary of James Bond movies today and I am a fan of many JB guys especially Pierce Brosnan, in JB as well as other movies like Mamma Mia. I have wondered what the zodiac of these guys are. A short research result concluded not the same.Anyways if you would like to hear the title / theme of other James Bond movies from 1962 onwards a compilation is here.


Another way to Die – Quantum of Solace 

You Know My Name   -   Casino Royale

Die Another Day – Die Another Day

The World Is Not Enough - The World Is Not Enough

Tomorrow Never Dies - Tomorrow Never Dies

GoldenEye – GoldenEye

Licence to Kill - Licence to Kill

The Living Daylights

A View To a Kill - A View To a Kill

All Time High


For Your Eyes Only

Moonraker

The Spy Who Loved Me

The Man with the Golden Gun

Live and Let Die 

Diamonds Are Forever

On Her Majesty's Secret Service

You Only Live Twice

Thunderball

Goldfinger

From Russia With Love

Dr.No


Just another crazy day …..

cheers

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