• Prepare the grated jaggery.
• Prepare the thick coconut milk. I used canned coconut milk, you can also use fresh thick coconut milk.
• Preheat oven to 160°C and make the sugar mixture.
• In a medium saucepan, heat the jaggery, sugar, water, and whole spices over medium heat just long enough to dissolve the jaggery and sugar, stirring frequently. Set aside to cool slightly.
• While the sugar mixture is cooling, whisk the eggs.
• Place the eggs and salt in a large bowl and whisk lightly with a fork. Yes, whisk lightly with a fork very important for making the Watalappan with that tiny holes.
• Whisk in the vanilla extract if using but I didn’t use it.
• Whisk in the coconut milk until thoroughly incorporated and then the sugar mixture.
• Strain the mixture through a fine wire mesh strainer.

Oven-Steaming

• You can make Watalappan in a large dish or with individual baking molds. Butter the baking tray/molds. Pour the mixture into the baking tray/molds and place it in another larger tray. Fill half of the large baking tray with warm water (40°C).
• Cover the tray loosely with parchment paper or/and foil paper. Keep it on the middle rack in the oven and bake it for about 45 minutes or until the custard is set. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean.
• You can decorate the Watalappan with cashews before or after it is fully set. Or just keep it plain, it’s totally up to you.
• I decorated this Watalappan before it is fully set. Remove the Watalappan from the oven before it is fully set (around 35 mins), decorate it with halves of cashews, or sprinkle with chopped cashews, and bake for a further 10 minutes or until just set.

Stovetop-Steaming

• Butter the molds and pour the mixture. Take care not to overfill the molds as the Watalappan will rise slightly during the cooking process. Cover each mold with parchment paper or/and aluminum foil.
• Place them in the steamer, cover, and steam for about 20 to 30 minutes or just until the custard is set. A toothpick inserted near the center should come out clean. Make sure to check and adjust the time as needed.
• Remove from the oven or steamer. Set aside to cool and refrigerate, covered, for a few hours until ready to serve or overnight until fully chilled. You can also serve Watalappa warm—it’s delicious both ways!
• Serve Watalappan in serving bowls or cut it into slices. You can sprinkle it with extra roasted cashews if you like.