This traditional Melanau snack is popular in Sarawak among all ethnicities. While these crackers are traditionally baked over open fire for a smokey hit, this recipe is an easy oven-baked version to make at home.
Tebaloi (Coconut-sago crackers)
by Mildred VoonThis traditional Melanau snack is popular in Sarawak among all ethnicities. While these crackers are traditionally baked over open fire for a smokey hit, this recipe is an easy oven-baked version to make at home.
Servings: 60 3-inch crackers
Prep time: Slightly involved
Servings: 60 3-inch crackers
Prep time: Slightly involved
Ingredients
1 large banana leaf, cleaned and patted dry (see Tips below)
3 pandan leaves, chopped
50ml water
140g granulated sugar (coconut sugar preferred, see Tips below)
1 egg
280g sago flour
500g freshly grated coconut
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C.
- Turn two baking trays over so that the bottom of the trays face you. Cut the banana leaves to the size of the bottom of the baking trays (you will be baking the crackers on the bottom of the trays). Set the trays aside.
- Blend the pandan leaves with water in a blender or with a mortar and pestle. Strain out the leafy fibres, reserving the juice.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the egg and sugar together with a whisk until the sugar is dissolved. Pour in the pandan juice and whisk.
- Add the sago flour and shredded coconut. Using a spatula or your hands, mix all the ingredients well until evenly distributed.
- Carefully spread the mixture on the banana leaf- lined tray bottoms, ½ cup or a handful at a time. Flatten the mixture with your fingers or the back of a spoon/spatula as thin as possible, ideally about 2-3mm thick.
- Cover this flattened mixture with baking paper or plastic wrap, then roll the layers flat with a rolling pin to produce a thin and even layer. Remove the paper or plastic.
- Bake the coconut mixture on the tray bottoms in the oven for about 10 minutes, or until the surface looks dry and just slightly brown.
- Remove the trays from the oven but don’t switch off your oven just yet. Carefully flip the layers over so that the banana leaf is on the top, and the coconut cracker mixture is directly on the bottom of the tray.
- Gently peel off the banana leaf to expose the other side of the coconut cracker mixture. Using a pizza cutter or a long knife, cut the par-baked crackers into squares of your preferred size (see Tips).
- Return the trays to the oven and bake for another 15 minutes, or until the surface is golden brown.
- Remove the trays from the oven. Let the crackers cool on the trays while you continue working with the remaining cracker mixture if any.
- When the crackers are cool, carefully snap them into squares along the cut lines. Store in airtight containers.
Tips
- If you can’t find fresh banana leaves, use baking paper instead. The baked crackers won’t be as aromatic, but will be perfectly tasty.
- Mildred suggests using coconut sugar for added flavour. Whichever sugar you use, make sure it is low-moisture so as to not add too much chew to the crackers.
- You can make large squares of up to 4″, or smaller 2″ ones for easy snacking. We like 3″ crackers, a crunchy compromise.
Ingredients
1 large banana leaf, cleaned and patted dry (see Tips below)
3 pandan leaves, chopped
50ml water
140g granulated sugar (coconut sugar preferred, see Tips below)
1 egg
280g sago flour
500g freshly grated coconut
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C.
- Turn two baking trays over so that the bottom of the trays face you. Cut the banana leaves to the size of the bottom of the baking trays (you will be baking the crackers on the bottom of the trays). Set the trays aside.
- Blend the pandan leaves with water in a blender or with a mortar and pestle. Strain out the leafy fibres, reserving the juice.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the egg and sugar together with a whisk until the sugar is dissolved. Pour in the pandan juice and whisk.
- Add the sago flour and shredded coconut. Using a spatula or your hands, mix all the ingredients well until evenly distributed.
- Carefully spread the mixture on the banana leaf- lined tray bottoms, ½ cup or a handful at a time. Flatten the mixture with your fingers or the back of a spoon/spatula as thin as possible, ideally about 2-3mm thick.
- Cover this flattened mixture with baking paper or plastic wrap, then roll the layers flat with a rolling pin to produce a thin and even layer. Remove the paper or plastic.
- Bake the coconut mixture on the tray bottoms in the oven for about 10 minutes, or until the surface looks dry and just slightly brown.
- Remove the trays from the oven but don’t switch off your oven just yet. Carefully flip the layers over so that the banana leaf is on the top, and the coconut cracker mixture is directly on the bottom of the tray.
- Gently peel off the banana leaf to expose the other side of the coconut cracker mixture. Using a pizza cutter or a long knife, cut the par-baked crackers into squares of your preferred size (see Tips).
- Return the trays to the oven and bake for another 15 minutes, or until the surface is golden brown.
- Remove the trays from the oven. Let the crackers cool on the trays while you continue working with the remaining cracker mixture if any.
- When the crackers are cool, carefully snap them into squares along the cut lines. Store in airtight containers.
Tips
- If you can’t find fresh banana leaves, use baking paper instead. The baked crackers won’t be as aromatic, but will be perfectly tasty.
- Mildred suggests using coconut sugar for added flavour. Whichever sugar you use, make sure it is low-moisture so as to not add too much chew to the crackers.
- You can make large squares of up to 4″, or smaller 2″ ones for easy snacking. We like 3″ crackers, a crunchy compromise.
