The moon plays an important role in Bali and Full Moon is celebrated on a large scale. I don't know whether it was just because we were somewhere exotic but the moon certainly seemed to shine brighter over the Lombok Straight on Full Moon than it does here in our garden! Being an auspicious time, everyone holds ceremonies on or around Full Moon. I was lucky enough to be invited by Sugita to a ceremony in his village for the coming of age of some of his relatives. Being the only tourist there, I felt very honoured to have been invited and was made to feel very welcome by everyone, even if I did stick out like a sore thumb!

Anyway, full moon brings me on to Terang Bulan - or Moon Cake - so called because you make it in a frying pan and it is round! They were delicious! We bought them from a street seller at the night market and liked them so much that we bought another 3 and took them back to the hotel with us and I managed to persuade Penny to give me the recipe! They are a sort of pancakey waffle and would be lovely for a weekend brunch. The recipe uses peanuts as the topping but you could substitute coconut or any other nut that you have to hand.

Terang Bulan (makes 15)
Batter
500g strong plain flour
150g caster sugar
1/2tsp baking powder
2 eggs
1/2tsp dried yeast
600ml coconut milk
Topping
chopped peanuts
white sugar and cinnamon powder to sprinkle
Butter for frying

Mix all the batter ingredients together and leave to prove in a warm place until the mixture has doubled in size. Melt the butter in a small frying pan and cook the pancakes a ladleful at a time. As soon as you see bubbles in the pancake in the pan, sprinkle over the nuts, sugar and cinnamon and continue to cook until the batter is set. You do not turn these cakes over as you would a normal pancake. Cut in half and place one half on top of the other and cut into wedges so that you have a nutty filling layer in the middle of the pancake. Eat warm! We loved these - did I mention that already!!