Easy Kavum

With Avurudhu (Sinhala/Tamil New Year) just weeks away we are dreaming of our favorites, one of which is the ever popular Kavum or Sri Lankan Oil Cakes! If you ever found it daunting to try out at home, here’s an easy recipe to guarantee a crisp outside and a soft inside with the flavors of honey or treacle and a hint of vanilla running through.




Ingredients:

Mix in:
1/2 cup Plain Flour
1 Cup Rice Flour
150g Dark Brown Sugar
2 tsp Vanilla Essence

3/4 Cold Water
1 tbsp. Honey or Treacle
Coconut Oil for Frying
1 thin skewer/wooden chopstick

Method:
Add all of the above ingredients  save for water and honey or treacle, one by one. Mix through well adding the cold water in bit by bit, and finally the honey. The ingredients should be well incorporated and the batter will be thick and smooth. (Thicker than pancake batter). Set aside for 5 hours.

Now pour coconut oil into a small wok shaped pan. It should come up only halfway as the Kavum will not be fully submerged in the oil. When the oil is hot gently pour in one tablespoon of the batter into the oil, in the middle of the pan. After a  minute pour another layer of batter- 1/2 of the previous quantity on top of the previous batter below in circular motions. Now take your skewer and gently pierce the middle of the batter. With a slotted spoon, keep flicking hot oil gently on and over the batter. Be careful not to burn yourself! Using the skewer, turn the oil cake around in the pan while flicking oil over it. It will start turning upwards and forming a shape. Continue flicking oil as it turns a golden color. When set and formed, turn over briefly for 2 minutes until the whole kavum is golden brown. Transfer to a paper towel. Do this with all of the other oil cakes/kavums. Serve out and enjoy your treat :)