Madakku San / Love Letters / Eylanchi

These used to be my favorite among the tea time snacks as a kid. At home, we used to call it as Muttayappam . Then when I went to hostel for college, we used to get it as tea time snack there. It was well known as love letter among the hostel mates. I am not sure if it is named the same anywhere else. Unlike other tea time snacks like Ullivada, Aval vilayichathu, Bonda etc.  this snack was liked by all.

I don't know why is it called love letter. May be because of the sweet filling rolled into those pancakes like a love letter with so much romantic and sweet words that goes into it :). I was surprised to hear it when I first heard it. Anyways, I love the name.

This snack is perfect for kids. When they get back from evening play time and are hungry, serve it and they would be really happy. Atleast that is when my mom used to serve it to us and we would happily eat it. But some people do make it for breakfast as well.

Ingredients

For the pancakes

1. 1 1/2 cups of all purpose flour
2. 1 large egg, beaten
3. 2 tbsp of sugar
4. A pinch of salt
5. 3/4 cup of milk

For the filling

1. 1 1/2 cups of grated coconut
2. 2 tbsp of ghee
3. 2 cardamom crushed
4. 5 tbsp of sugar

Method

Making of the filling

• Heat a skillet, pour in the ghee. Add the grated coconut, sugar and crushed cardamom to it. Cook it till the coconut gets tender and juicy.

Making and assembly of pancakes

• Mix all the ingredients listed under the making of pancakes in a bowl, to form a thin batter.
• Heat a skillet, drop a ladle of batter on it and spread it in a circle to make pancake. Cook it for 2 minutes and then turn over and cook it again for another 2 minutes.
• Take a spoon full of the filling and spread it in the center of pancake. Fold the two sides of the pancake on to the center and remove it on to a plate. Serve it hot

Tips

1. Its a good idea to run the all purpose flour through a sieve to make it lump free before you use it for making the batter.
2. Do not pour too much batter, but just enough to form a thin pancake. Thin pancakes are easy to get cooked and moreover, to fold into love letters :).