Coconut Pan Rolls / Coconut Pancakes For Shrove Tuesday
Coconut Pan Rolls / Coconut Pancakes For Shrove Tuesday
My Mum used to make Coconut Pan Rolls / Coconut Pancakes For Shrove Tuesday frequently. I guess it was because it was so easy to make and also because we loved it so much. Since she was very health-conscious, she kept a strict eye on what we ate. So our Pan Rolls were made with wheat flour and leftover dosa batter. We did not care. We loved both. And for some reason, she always coloured the grated coconut a lovely pink with some cochineal food colouring.
It was only later on when we were teenagers we understood the significance of these treats and appreciated the passing on of history and culture through food. Shrove Tuesday is the day before Lent begins on Ash Wednesday and observed in many Christian countries. It always falls 47 days before Easter, so the date varies every year.
The expression “Shrove Tuesday” comes from the word ‘shrive’, meaning to confess, and comes from the practice of Anglo-Saxon Christians going into confession the day before Lent, and being ‘shriven’ (absolved of their sins). A bell would be rung to call people to confession, which became known as the ‘Pancake Bell’ and is still rung today.
Lent is usually a time of fasting and abstinence and amongst Indian Christians, it meant a vegetarian diet that ends with Easter. So, Shrove Tuesday was a very indulgent day as it was the last opportunity to eat extravagantly before Lent ( and fasting) began. It is generally celebrated by eating a type of sweet roll called Pancake in Britain & Ireland, Crepes (in France), and Pan Rolls in India, tossing pancakes into the air and catching them in the pan while running.
And now that I have finished the explanation, let me share my Mum’s recipe for Coconut Pan Rolls / Coconut Pancakes For Shrove Tuesday.
Watch my video Coconut Pan Rolls / Coconut Pancakes For Shrove Tuesday here
The Recipe:
For Pan Roll:
½ cup wheat flour; 1 medium egg; 1/3 cup milk; 1 tbsp sugar; ½ tsp vanilla; 1 tsp ghee; ¼ tsp baking powder; pinch of salt; additional water as required- about 1/3 cup.
Whisk to a watery batter without lumps, adding additional water a little at a time until batter is of desired consistency.
For The Filling:
1/2 cup grated coconut; 1/4 tsp cardamom powder or 2 cardamom pods ( seeds only), powdered fine; few drops pink food colouring (optional).
To Make:
Heat pan. Lower to medium heat and brush with few drops of ghee or oil. Pour a large ladle full of batter into the pan. Hold the handle firmly and swirl around to form a round shape. Cook for 3 minutes. Transfer to plate and add 1 tbsp filling in the middle. Gently fold into a roll and serve hot. Repeat with the remaining batter and filling.
Makes 6 Pan Rolls.
Enjoy your Pan Rolls tomorrow.
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