Watalappan

From French crème caramel to Filipino leche flan, steamed caramel custards can be found around the globe. Sri Lanka’s version, watalappan, uses coconut milk, a ubiquitous ingredient on this coconut palm-fringed tropical island. This rich, silky dessert, thought to have Malay origins and particularly favoured by Sri Lanka’s Muslim community, is embellished with roasted cashews for a counterpoint of crunch.