Emma Pancake Day Recipes
A selection of pancakes inspired by Indian cookery, vegan-friendly pancakes and drop scones with bacon, blueberries and maple syrup to celebrate pancake day with a twist this year.
Chickpea pancakes (perfect with tomato chutney) from Chilli and Mint, Indian cookbook.
Chickpea pancakes
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 10-15 minutes
Makes 5 (or more if smaller)
150g gram/chickpea flour
1 tsp salt, or to taste
200ml water
1 tsp ajwain/carom seeds
¼ tsp ground turmeric
20g fresh coriander, finely chopped
1 fresh green chilli, finely chopped (optional)
1 large tomato
½ small red or white onion
1 tbsp vegetable or rapeseed oil
1. Place the flour and salt into a bowl (no need to sieve them) and gradually add the water while whisking until the mixture is smooth and the consistency of a normal pancake batter. If it becomes too thin, just add a little extra chickpea flour.
2. Add the ajwain, ground turmeric, fresh coriander and green chilli, if using, to the bowl and stir them into the batter.
3. Roughly chop the tomato and onion, place them into a blender and blitz until smooth, then add this paste to the batter.
4. Heat a non-stick frying pan or tawa and grease with some of the oil, making sure the whole surface is covered. Add one ladleful of batter and gently smooth it out into a circle using the back of the ladle. Aim to make the pancakes around 15cm (6 inches) in diameter.
5. Keep the heat low and gently cook the pancake until small bubbles appear on the surface. Use a spatula to make sure the pancake does not stick and to check it is nicely bronzing.
6. When the underside is lightly bronzed, use a spatula to turn over the pancake. Cook for a further minute while checking that side is also bronzing.
7. Once both sides are nicely bronzed, remove the pancake from the pan and serve up. Repeat the cooking process with the rest of the batter.
Notes: These go really well with my Bengali tomato chutney (see page 191).
Find this recipe in Chilli and Mint – buy online here
Vegan buttermilk pancakes- From Beder’s Kitchen, cookbook raising awareness around mental health and suicide prevention
VEGAN BUTTERMILK PANCAKES
PREPARATION TIME: 15 MINUTES | COOKING TIME: 15-20 MINUTES | SERVES 2
200ml soya milk
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp plain vegan yoghurt
2 tbsp maple syrup
120g flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
½ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp vanilla powder or 2 tsp vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
Coconut oil, for greasing the pans
In a jug, combine the milk and apple cider vinegar then set it aside for 10 minutes to curdle.
Whisk the vegan yoghurt and maple syrup into the curdled milk. Add the vanilla if using extract.
In a large bowl, combine your dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, cinnamon, vanilla powder and salt).
Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl and mix to combine.
Let the batter rest for a few minutes while you preheat two pans over medium heat: one small ‘egg pan’ and one larger non-stick frying pan.
Grease both with coconut oil.
Carefully drop spoonfuls of batter into the small pan until you have a layer about 1 or 2cm thick. Don’t touch it and let it cook gently for about 4 to 5 minutes, or until the edges are starting to firm up.
Be very quick when you flip the pancake into the larger pan to finish cooking on the other side, and repeat this process until the batter is used up
Find this recipe in From Beder’s Kitchen, order online here
Vegan fluffy pancakes with berry compote- The Green Rocket cookbook, based on recipes from the award-winning café
VEGAN FLUFFY PANCAKES WITH BERRY COMPOTE
Preparation time: 15 minutes Cooking time: 20 minutes Serves 4 (makes 8 pancakes)
For the pancakes
425g soya milk
10ml apple cider vinegar
190g rice flour
180g gluten-free self-raising flour
10g bicarbonate of soda
2 tablespoons white sugar
Pinch of salt
50g coconut oil
2 teaspoons vanilla paste
For the compote
2 punnets of fresh or frozen mixed berries (approximately 400g)
1 tablespoon white sugar
¼ teaspoon vanilla paste, or a few drops of real vanilla extract
For the pancakes
Mix the soya milk and apple cider vinegar, then leave to stand for 10 minutes. In a separate bowl, combine all the dry ingredients.
Add the coconut oil and vanilla paste to the soya milk mixture, then pour this into the bowl of dry ingredients and whisk vigorously to ensure there are no lumps. Leave to rest for 5 minutes.
For the compote
While the pancake batter is resting, place all the ingredients into a small saucepan and cook on low heat for 10 minutes until the berries start to burst and release their juices. If you want a slightly thicker compote, add a little more sugar. It’s perfect with these pancakes of course but can also be served warm with porridge or chilled with a nice cheesecake for dessert.
To cook the pancakes
Gently heat a small amount of neutral oil in a non-stick pan. Pour in enough batter to make your preferred size of pancake, and fry until the underside is a light golden colour before flipping. Repeat until all the batter is used up, and serve the pancakes warm with the compote and/or maple syrup.
Recipe from The Green Rocket Cookbook, buy online here.
Drop scones with bacon, blueberries and maple syrup- The Food We Love, family cookbook
DROP SCONES WITH BACON, BLUEBERRIES & MAPLE SYRUP
MAKES 8-10
200g self-raising flour
½ tsp baking powder
Pinch of salt
1 tbsp caster sugar
2 eggs
125ml milk
Vegetable oil
Thinly sliced bacon, fresh blueberries and maple syrup to serve.
Weigh the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar into a large bowl and stir to combine. Beat the eggs and milk together in a small jug or bowl then add the mixture to the dry ingredients.
Mix well to make a thick batter, and don’t worry about a few small lumps. Heat a large, lightly oiled, non-stick frying pan, crepe pan or griddle plate.
Gently drop heaped tablespoons of batter onto the heated pan. When bubbles appear on the surface and the underside is lightly browned, turn over with a palette knife to finish cooking.
Transfer the cooked drop scones to a warm serving plate and repeat until all the batter is used up.
Grill the thinly sliced bacon until crispy then serve with the blueberries and maple syrup.
Recipe from The Food We Love, order online here.
