Kitchen Kulture: Pancakes 101
Fluffy round or layer thin, this treat is always a treat. Pancakes go a long way for me. I remember pancakes as early as I remember my first breakfasts as a kid at dawn, before going down in the cold to wait for the school bus.
Our household preferred the thin crepe version rather than the American fluffy round one, I guess because it was more tempting to spread whatever we wanted on the larger surface area, roll it up, watch the fillings melt and smell the hot, buttery pancakes mix with the insides.
At the age of 15, I was obsessed with pancakes for a whole summer. I’d automatically get up, crack an egg, add the rest to make a batter and voila! – very opposite my salt tooth. I am the type of girl who can live on cheese, bread, meat. Cheese, bread, meat. Rinse and repeat. But who can say no to pancakes, right?!
Ancient Greek in origin, pancakes were created with whatever dry ingredients were lying around, mixed with water, particularly before Lent periods. The recipe evolved over the years to include a version for each country, from Slovenia to the U.S. to France.
Pancakes can be eaten for breakfast, lunch or dinner. So if you wake up craving some fluffy or crispy thin ones, here’s our 101 on how to make them at home from scratch:
Ingredients:
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
Method:
To make the pancakes very thin, keep adding milk until you achieve a thin batter. To make the pancakes thick, add 1 tsp baking powder and keep adding flour until you achieve a thick batter.
- In a bowl, add all ingredients and add in the egg at the end.
- Mix the batter well with a whisk until it all becomes consistent and no more flour lumps are left.
- In a pan, add the oil and heat until it has all been absorbed and ladle your first pancake in.
- When bubbles appear in the pancake, wait for a minute and flip it until both sides are light brown.
- Repeat with the rest of the batter for a stack of pancakes.
Have a table ready with butter, nutella, maple syrup or honey and some fruit to serve. I personally like one or two with Gouda cheese – try it!
WE SAID THIS: Check out Kitchen Kulture: She3reya 101 – your guide to making perfect vermicelli every time.
