I am surprised at how much I have started to like coconut recently. This comes from someone who has eaten/drank as much coconut as one would eat potatoes or drink milk as a child. I was actually never fond of milk and unfortunately there were no alternatives like almond or soy milk available at that time. There was coconut milk but in a place where one had easy access to coconut water, the water was preferred, more than the milk. In tropical countries, coconut is found in abundance. In India, where I grew up, drinking coconut water or cooking with freshly grated coconut is a way of life. People are equipped and ready to give themselves a arm workout when the need arises. Which is frequently. The grated version is used in curries, sweet dishes, rice and fillings while the milk (which is actually extracted by passing the grated coconut through a cheesecloth) finds its uses in many different dishes. Yet, I don’t have any memory of a particular liking for coconut. Maybe some of the dishes that it was used in were a favorites but not coconut itself. I guess it needed a few cakes, friands and crepes to acknowledge this liking.

In the present day I cannot imagine standing long hours trying to grate a coconut or extracting milk when it is so convenient to get hold of a packet of desiccated coconut or a can of coconut milk that is ready for consumption and is so much easier to store. Ask my mother and she will tell you that the packed variety is nowhere close to the fresh one. True! But in this turbo charged, everything-needing-attention world I could do without cracking open a fruit by hitting it on the ground (that was how it was cracked open back home).

This breakfast dish is very tropical. I have used coconut milk in the crepe batter and desiccated coconut in the filling. Then there is yogurt, fresh mangoes, raspberries, basil and a palm sugar caramel. In the sweet treats that I ate as a little girl, coconut was often paired with palm sugar, hence the idea. Other than the caramel, the dish is a healthy breakfast option so if you are on a diet, leave out the caramel and run a tablespoon of maple syrup or honey through the yogurt instead to sweeten it. The flavors are amazing together, very refreshing! If you do not have access to fresh mangoes, you could use canned ones or replace with seasonal fruits. Like persimmons, figs and even bananas.

Coconut Crepes With Yogurt, Mangoes And Palm Sugar Caramel
Makes 5-6 crepes

1/2 cup plain flour, sifted
2/3 cup coconut milk
2 eggs, lightly whisked
40 g butter, melted and cooled
1/2 cup desiccated coconut
2 cups unsweetened Greek yogurt (if leaving out caramel, you could use sweetened yogurt)
2 mangoes, chopped into cubes
10-12 raspberries/strawberries
fresh basil leaves, for garnish
Icing sugar, to dust (optional)

For the palm sugar caramel
1/2 cup palm sugar, roughly chopped
1/2 cup water

Place the flour in a bowl making a well in the centre. Slowly whisk in the coconut milk, eggs and butter. Let stand for 15-20 minutes. Heat a non-stick frying over medium heat. Add 2-3 tbsp of the crepe batter, swirling the pan to coat the base evenly. Cook for a minute or until edges start to brown. Turn and cook for another minute until golden. Transfer to a serving plate. Repeat with the rest of the batter.

Divide the desiccated coconut, yogurt, mangoes and raspberries between the crepes. Serve with palm sugar caramel and basil. Dust with icing sugar.

To make the palm sugar caramel, heat the palm sugar and water together until smooth and thickened. The mixture solidifies on cooling down so reheat before serving.