Fénénésti (Blended Rice Pancakes)

Ingredients:

300g Rice
400ml tin of coconut milk
1 fresh coconut
1 glass of lukewarm water
1 tbsp of sugar
2 vanilla pods
1 tsp ground Cardamom
1 stick of cinnamon
500ml of water
100ml of water
1 ladleful of ground rice

Method:

Wash the rice well, place in a heatproof bowl then pour over enough boiling water to submerge the rice. Cover with a lid and set aside,

Remove the flesh from the coconut and use to prepare coconut cream.

Place the vanilla pods, split lengthways, the cinnamon stick, broken into pieces, into a pan. Pour over the coconut milk and 100ml of the coconut cream. Drain the rice in a colander then transfer to a blender and pour over 500ml of water so the water level is 2 fingers above the rice. Process to a smooth paste then add 100ml to the pan with the coconut milk.

Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook, stirring constantly until it begins to thicken. Stir in the sugar and continue cooking, stirring constantly, Take off the heat and keep warm.

Place 100ml water in a saucepan then whisk in a ladleful of ground rice. Place over medium heat and cook, stirring, until the mixture thickens and comes away from the base of the pan. Add this mixture to the rice in the blender then process until smooth. Transfer this mixture into a bowl.

Place a non-stick pan over high heat. Once the pan is hot (water will dance and sizzle when dropped from your fingers into the pan). Add a ladleful of the rice batter into the pan. Cook until bubbles appear on the surface of the pancake then cover the pan with a lid and cook for 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate and cook a second pancake. Keep going until all the batter has been used up.

Take the pancakes and submerge into the coconut milk mixture. Place back over low heat and warm the coconut cream as you submerge the pancaked with the back of a spoon.

Arrange the pancakes on a serving dish, spoon over some of the coconut cream and bring to the table.