Celebrity square meals: George Alagiah's pancakes with coconut filling

My mother used to serve these pancakes as a treat for breakfast or for afternoon "tiffin". The first time I had them was as a child in Sri Lanka. I've had to experiment with quantities, as all I got when I checked with my aunts was a vague, "just put enough so it tastes nice".

for the pancakes

100g plain flour
a tiny pinch of salt
2 large eggs
200ml milk
75ml water
butter to grease the pan

for the filling

100g desiccated coconut
Half cup hot water (not boiling)
4 tablespoons date syrup
60g roasted cashew nuts or Fairtrade brazil nuts

To make the pancake batter, mix the flour and salt. Break the eggs into it and start whisking. Pour the milk and water (mixed) little by little. Keep mixing until you have a nice smooth consistency. Leave to one side.

Put the coconut into a small bowl. Add the water little by little until it's all absorbed. Add the date syrup to the coconut mix. Crush the nuts in a mortar and add to the coconut. Mix all the ingredients. Leave to one side.

Now cook the pancakes. I use a non-stick frying pan. Pour 2 tablespoons of the pancake mix into the pan and tilt it around till it has spread across the bottom of the pan. Wait until it has begun to turn golden and then - here's the tricky bit - flip it over. Once both sides are cooked, keep warm in the oven. Repeat until you have about six pancakes.

Put the filling in the middle of the pancakes and roll them over.

From 'A Fair Feast' (Simon & Schuster, £9.99), the proceeds of which go to Oxfam and Fairtrade Foundation