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Loading...Sri Lankan kavum are glossy, mahogany-brown sweet cakes fried for the Sinhala and Tamil New Year. The batter of rice flour and coconut milk is sweetened with kithul treacle (or jaggery) and scented with cardamom, then dropped into hot oil in spoonfuls until crisp outside and tender inside.
Prep Time20 mins
Cook Time30 mins
Total Time50 mins
Servings6
YieldAbout 18 small cakes (6 servings)
Nutrition Facts
Per serving (estimated)
- 385 kcalCalories
- 18 gFat
- 11 gSaturated Fat
- 52 gCarbs
- 1 gFiber
- 24 gSugar
- 4 gProtein
- 55 mgSodium
- 160 mgPotassium
- 30 mgCalcium
- 1.6 mgIron
- 1 mgVitamin C
- 5 mcgVitamin A
Ingredients
For the batter
- 2 cups fine rice flour
- 2 tablespoons coarse semolina
- 1/4 cup urad dal flour (optional, for crispness)
- 1 1/2 cups thick coconut milk
- 1 cup kithul treacle or dark jaggery syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
For frying
- 3 cups coconut oil or vegetable oil, for deep-frying
For the glaze
- 2 tablespoons kithul treacle or honey, warmed
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds, for garnish
Directions
- In a heavy saucepan, warm the treacle gently until loose and pourable; stir in the coconut milk, salt, and cardamom and bring just to a simmer, then remove from heat.
- Sift the rice flour, semolina, and urad dal flour (if using) into a large bowl. Slowly pour the warm treacle-coconut mixture into the flours, whisking continuously to make a smooth, thick, pourable batter (similar to pancake batter; it should drop off the spoon in a slow ribbon).
- Stir in the baking soda last, mix gently, and let the batter rest covered for 15 minutes so the flours hydrate.
- Heat oil in a deep, heavy pot to 325°F (165°C); the oil should be about 2 inches deep. Drop a small spoonful of batter first to test – it should rise slowly and turn deep brown in about 4 minutes.
- Using two teaspoons, drop tablespoon-sized mounds of batter into the hot oil, frying 5-6 cakes at a time without crowding. Spoon hot oil over the tops so they cook evenly and form their characteristic crackled crown.
- Fry for 4-5 minutes, turning once, until the kavum are a deep mahogany brown and sound hollow when tapped. Lift out with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels for 1 minute.
- While still hot, brush each cake lightly with warmed treacle and sprinkle with a few toasted sesame seeds. Serve warm or at room temperature with black tea.
Cook’s Notes
- Kithul treacle (from the kitul palm) gives the authentic dark color and malty flavor; substitute equal parts dark jaggery syrup and a teaspoon of molasses if unavailable.
- Oil temperature is critical – too hot and the outside burns before the inside cooks; too cool and the cakes absorb oil and turn greasy. Maintain 320-330°F throughout.
- For traditional 'kevum' shape, use a special slotted iron spoon (kavum hakuru) to drop the batter; the home method of two teaspoons produces the same flavor.
- Batter consistency matters: if too thick, thin with a splash of coconut milk; if too thin, sift in a tablespoon more rice flour.
- These keep well in an airtight tin for 3-4 days; revive in a warm oven for 5 minutes before serving.
