Watalappam
Sri Lanka's steamed coconut-jaggery custard: heavily scented with cardamom, cloves and nutmeg, topped with toasted cashews. The Eid centrepiece.
Overview
Eggs whisk with grated kithul jaggery (or palm sugar) until the sugar starts to dissolve. Coconut milk and ground spices fold in. The mixture strains through a sieve into ramekins (or one wide dish), gets steamed gently until just-set with a slight wobble. Topped with toasted cashews; served chilled or at room temperature.
Ingredients
- 200 g kithul jaggery (or palm sugar / dark brown sugar; grated or finely chopped)
- 4 eggs (large)
- 400 ml thick coconut milk
- 100 ml whole milk (or extra coconut milk)
- 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
- A pinch of salt
Topping
- 50 g unsalted cashews (toasted and roughly chopped)
Method
Stage 1 - Dissolve the jaggery
- If using kithul jaggery in solid form, grate or chop it finely.
- Combine with the eggs in a bowl; whisk gently - don't froth - until the sugar has mostly dissolved.
Stage 2 - Combine
- Whisk in the coconut milk, milk, cardamom, cloves, nutmeg, vanilla, and salt.
- Strain through a fine sieve into a jug (catches any unmelted sugar bits and fibrous jaggery).
Stage 3 - Pour
- Divide between 6 ramekins (or pour into a single 1 ½ L wide oven-proof bowl).
Stage 4 - Steam
- Set up a steamer with simmering water; cover the ramekins loosely with foil to keep condensation off the surface.
- Steam over medium-low heat 35-45 minutes (longer for one big bowl) until the centres just set with a faint wobble. A skewer in the middle should come out clean.
- Lift out carefully; cool to room temperature.
Stage 5 - Chill and serve
- Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours, ideally overnight.
- Top with toasted cashews just before serving.
- Eat chilled or at room temperature.
Notes
- Kithul jaggery is non-negotiable for the real flavour: Sri Lankan/South Asian grocers sell it in solid blocks. Palm sugar is a workable substitute; muscovado-style dark brown sugar gives a flatter result.
- Steam, don't bake: Watalappam is steamed, not oven-baked - the gentle moist heat gives the silky set without the cracked surface a baked custard gets.
- Don't over-whisk: Frothy eggs make a bubbly, holey custard. Gentle whisking only.
Storage
- Keeps 3 days refrigerated; the spices deepen.
- Don't freeze.
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