Jaje Dadar (Balinese coconut crêpes)

This weekend I was innocently strolling around the internet went suddenly *BAF* I found myself in the middle of Bali. Where we could be celebrating Nyepi on the 31st of March this year. Nyepi is the Balinese Day of Silence or the start of the Lunar Year of the Balinese calendar. This day, I found out, is truly a day of silence. Four Nyepi rituals are honored: amati geni (no lighting fires or lights), amati karya (no work), amati lelungan (no traveling), and amati lelanguan (no leisure activities). A whole day of fasting and rituals! Actually, Nyepi starts a few days before that with rituals and a parade of "ogoh ogoh" (demonic statues) and continues the day after with two rituals.

I couldn't explain what the festival is like. I have been to Bali, but it wasn't during Nyepi and it's so long ago I don't remember anything in the first place. But we could create a Balinese dish and meditate a bit? It's the closest thing I've got here!

As a Balinese dish I decided to make Jaje Dadar or Kueh Dadar or Kuih Ketayap. Regardless of the name, Jaje Dadar always consists of coconut, crêpes and pandan (leaves.. but don't worry I didn't have those either. There's a way around them!). The recipe possibly has Malaysian rather than Balinese roots, but that shouldn't stop you from making this. Eating these as snacks feels a lot healthier than cake, which I usually make and the coconut makes it tastes a lot fresher. The only thing I regret is not being able to use real 'gula melaka' or palm sugar.

Jaje Dadar
makes 12-15 - inspired by W&W

50 grams dark coconut or palm sugar*
100 grams grated coconut
2-5 tablespoons water

2 eggs
200 grams flour
425-475 ml coconut milk (and/or water or milk)
Few drops of pandan essence** 
pinch of salt and sugar
butter for greasing

1. Start by making the filling: put the sugar and water in a pan on medium fire until the sugar has dissolved. 
2. Add the coconut, stir until coated and keep cooking until the coconut turns dry(-ish) again. Set aside to cool while you make the crepes.
3. Then make the crêpes: add all ingredients together and mix. Press through a sieve to get rid of lumps if you have any. The crepe mix should be very runny.
4. Make crepes the way you would usually make crêpes or pancakes. Try to make them as thin as possible! Bake for a few minutes on each side until ready and leave to cool.
5. Now put them together! This part is fun to explain: place a spoon or 2-3 of coconut on a crêpe. Let's say, just below the middle. Fold 3 sides inside over the coconut (bottom first, then left and right), leaving one long side for rolling. Now roll.
6. Best eaten immediately! But can be stored in the fridge for several days. Just heat it in the microwave for a few seconds to soften the crêpe.

* Or light palm sugar. You might've noticed I cheated on this one!
** You can substitute with vanilla, but it won't taste the same. Like, far from, but it will still be pretty good!

So, what do you think? It's a lovely flower, right? Oh, you were busy reading the recipe? You got distracted by the overwhelming amount of (untraditionally white) coconut inside a crêpe? Or did you get stuck at my attempt to describe how to fold a crêpe? Perhaps this part needs another one of my amazing drawings to clear things up! 

Anyway, take care and till next time! Enjoy your week! (On a side note: someone please do my homework for me! It's too much to take! D:)