Pandan crepes with coconut filling

Instructions

1. To make the batter, place the pandan and spinach leaf in a blender with 1 cup (250 ml) water and blend on high for a minute. Pour through a fine sieve into a bowl, squeezing the solids to extract as much green juice as possible. Discard the solids.
2. Sift the flour into a bowl and whisk in the egg, milk, butter, a pinch of salt and the strained pandan juice. Stir the batter until smooth, adding a little extra milk if it’s too thick; the batter should have a thin consistency. Strain through a sieve and set aside to rest for 30 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, for the filling, combine the pandan leaves and palm sugar with 1½ cups (375 ml) water in a saucepan over medium heat. Simmer until sugar is melted, then add the coconut and a pinch of salt. Stir well, then discard pandan leaves and set aside to cool.
4. For the sauce, combine all the ingredients with ½ cup (125 ml) water and a pinch of salt in a saucepan. Gradually bring to the boil, stirring frequently. Cool before use.
5. Heat a 15–20 cm (6–8 inch) crêpe or non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Wipe with a little oil or butter, then ladle in ½ cup (125 ml) batter, swirling quickly to the edges. Cook gently for 1 minute, then flip and cook the other side until set (see Note). Remove to a plate, and repeat with remaining batter, stacking the crêpes as you go. To serve, put 2–3 tablespoons of filling in each crêpe, tuck the edges in and roll into a small cigar-shape. Serve with a spoonful of coconut sauce.

• The spinach is purely for colour; you can also use green food colouring.
• It is best not to overcook the crêpes as the batter is one that turns firm easily. As for the filling, freshly grated coconut makes a vast difference to the result, although I’ve used desiccated coconut when fresh coconuts are not available.