Don Signature Crab - Singapore Food Guide

Kueh Dadar (Coconut Crepes)

Singapore-style Kueh Dadar — pandan-green crepes filled with sweet grated coconut cooked in gula melaka, a beloved Peranakan and Malay teatime snack.

Kueh Dadar (Coconut Crepes)

About this dish

Kueh Dadar (also known as kuih ketayap) is a classic Malay/Peranakan kuih you’ll find on kopitiam counters, at neighbourhood pasar malam stalls and on home kuih platters across Singapore. These thin pandan-scented crepes are rolled around a rich, caramelised grated coconut filling made with gula melaka (palm sugar), giving a fragrant, slightly smoky sweetness that’s perfect with kopi or teh tarik.

Light and flexible, the crepe is soft with a subtle pandan aroma and a slight chew from the coconut filling — a great balance of sweet and savoury with a hint of salt to lift the gula melaka. In Singapore households, kueh dadar is a popular afternoon snack, for potlucks, or as part of a festive spread during Hari Raya and family gatherings in the heartlands of Tiong Bahru or the East Coast.

This recipe walks you through making pandan juice, a smooth crepe batter, and cooking the gula melaka coconut so you get the right texture and shine. It’s well-suited to busy home cooks: you can prep the filling in advance (store in the fridge) and quickly pan-fry crepes when guests drop by. For an authentic touch, grab fresh grated coconut from the wet market or NTUC, and use pandan leaves for aroma if you can find them.

Ingredients

  • 200 g all-purpose flour (plain flour)
  • 30 g tapioca flour (optional, for slightly chewier crepe)
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 2 tbsp caster sugar
  • 2 large eggs (or 150 ml coconut milk for egg-free option)
  • 400 ml fresh pandan juice (blend 6–8 pandan leaves with 200 ml water, strain) or 100 ml pandan extract + 300 ml water
  • 50 ml coconut milk (for batter, optional for richer crepe)
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil plus extra for pan
  • 200 g freshly grated coconut (kerisik) — preferably unsweetened
  • 180–200 g gula melaka (palm sugar), chopped or grated
  • 50 ml water (to melt gula melaka) or more as needed
  • 1–2 pandan leaves, knotted (for cooking filling, optional)
  • 1/4 tsp fine sea salt (to balance sweetness)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract or pandan essence (optional)
  • banana leaves or parchment paper to assemble (optional)

Step-by-Step Method

  1. 1. Make pandan juice (if using fresh pandan): wash 6–8 pandan leaves, chop and blend with 200 ml water; strain through a sieve or cheesecloth to get about 400 ml of green juice. Set aside.
  2. 2. Prepare the filling: in a small pot, combine grated coconut, chopped gula melaka, 50 ml water and knotted pandan leaf; cook over low-medium heat, stirring often until the sugar melts and the mixture becomes sticky and slightly glossy (about 8–12 minutes). Add 1/4 tsp salt to taste, then remove pandan leaf and set filling aside to cool.
  3. 3. Make the crepe batter: in a bowl, sift all-purpose flour and tapioca flour with a pinch of salt. Whisk in eggs (or coconut milk), 50 ml coconut milk (if using), 2 tbsp sugar and pandan juice until smooth. Strain batter through a fine sieve to remove lumps. Rest the batter for 10–15 minutes.
  4. 4. Check batter consistency: the batter should be thin and pourable like single cream. If too thick, add a little water or extra pandan/coconut milk; if too thin, add a tablespoon of flour.
  5. 5. Heat a non-stick skillet or small crepe pan over medium-low heat. Lightly grease with oil and wipe away excess with a paper towel so the pan is just barely slick.
  6. 6. Pour about 2–3 tbsp batter into the pan, tilting to swirl into a thin circle (thin crepes are traditional). Cook on low-medium heat until the surface is set (no wet batter) and edges lift slightly, about 45–60 seconds. Do not brown the crepe.
  7. 7. Using a spatula, gently lift the crepe and transfer to a clean plate. Immediately place about 1–2 tbsp of the coconut filling along one edge, then roll up like a spring roll. Repeat until batter is used.
  8. 8. Keep finished rolls covered with a damp kitchen towel to stay soft. If reheating, gently steam or warm in a low heat pan briefly so the crepe softens again.
  9. 9. Taste and adjust: if your filling is too sweet, add a pinch more salt next time or mix in a little lime/lemon zest for brightness. Serve at room temperature.
  10. 10. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days; bring to room temperature before serving or warm briefly on a pan wrapped in foil.

Tips & Serving Ideas

  • Use fresh grated coconut from your local wet market or NTUC for best texture; frozen grated coconut works in a pinch but squeeze out excess water first.
  • If you can’t find gula melaka, dark brown sugar or palm sugar are acceptable substitutes — reduce water slightly when melting.
  • For natural pandan colour and aroma, use pandan juice from fresh leaves instead of food colouring; you can find pandan at most heartland wet markets or Cold Storage.
  • Keep the pan lightly oiled but not greasy; wipe excess oil with a paper towel between crepes for thin, even pancakes and better colour.
  • Cook the coconut filling over low heat and stir constantly near the end so it thickens without burning; the filling should be sticky but not soupy.
  • Make the filling ahead and refrigerate; warm it gently in a pan before rolling so it’s pliable and spreads easily.
  • To re-soften chilled rolls, steam briefly or heat gently in a non-stick pan covered with foil — avoid microwaving dry, which can toughen the crepe.
  • Adjust sweetness to local taste: Singaporeans vary — some like it very sweet like hawker kuih, others prefer milder. Taste the filling as you go and balance with a pinch of salt.

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