The typical American conception of pancakes is a little flat. Our Sunday stacks of tender griddlecakes are well known and much loved, but they don’t begin to reflect the global scope of pancakes. As we near Shrove Tuesday (also called Pancake Tuesday) next week, let’s look at one of Lent’s more popular foods.
The worldwide pancake roll call includes:
– Russian blinis smeared with butter or sour cream and topped with caviar
– Sour, fermented Ethiopian injera
– Buckwheat crepes sweetened with glazed apples in Brittany
– Crisp dosas of India, fashioned out of legumes or rice flour batter
– Lacy, turmeric-tinted crepes of Vietnam, typically partnered with a filling of vegetables, meat or fish
– Savory Japanese pancakes, sprinkled with green seaweed powder and dried bonito shavings
– Thin Chinese pancakes for make-it-yourself moo shu pork
– An airy puffed pancake dusted with sugar and a squeeze of lemon that is a breakfast specialty of Germany and the Scandinavian countries.
Even when pancakes are on the sweet side, as they tend to be in most of Europe, the preparations take on national identities.
“There are very interesting pancake traditions in places people don’t always think of–Hungary, Moldavia and Latvia” says Naomi Duguid, co-author of the cookbook “Flatbreads and Flavors” and a soon-to-be published book on pancakes and other breads.
The widespread heritage of pancakes makes perfect sense if one considers the earliest cooking methods, Duguid says.
“Think about the first people growing grain,” she says. “They must have mashed or boiled it a bit and made a mush, then spread it out on hot rocks. We think of breads as staples, but before people had ovens, pancakes could also be the staff of life.”
It’s a fine line that separates pancakes from other hot breads, although Duguid says pancakes are typically made from a thin batter and cooked on a lightly oiled griddle, not a “shaped, firmed dough like oven-baked breads.”
Cooks naturally adapt pancakes to regional tastes, reflecting the available ingredients and cooking styles.
Author Yamuna Devi discusses the dosa in her book “The Art of Indian Vegetarian Cooking.” The textures range from crisp to velvety; the batters vary from those made with pureed dried beans to those of wheat, chickpea or rice flour laced with spices and shredded vegetables. Dosas are eaten plain or topped with chutney or curried vegetables.
“In South India, dosas are eaten as much as pasta is in Italy,” she writes.
Vietnamese cooks also tinkered with pancakes, which originated in the central part of the country around Hue, according to Kim Nguyen, owner of Pasteur Cafe in Uptown.
“In Hue, they put eggs in the batter. Then–you know how it is–other regions decided they liked it but adapted it to their taste,” she says. “It eventually became famous in Saigon, where they use coconut milk instead. They basically lightened the crepe, because in Saigon there is much more intense heat.” The golden Vietnamese pancake is wrapped around fillings of shrimp, pork and vegetables, with crunchy bean sprouts and cool herbs for contrast.
Even in this country, pancakes have a regional flair. They’re made with white or wheat flour, buckwheat or cornmeal and–depending on who’s at the griddle–they might be known as pancakes, hot cakes, griddlecakes, silver dollars, flapjacks, johnnycakes or hoe cakes.
There’s no need to claim a favorite; pancakes have universal appeal. Now it’s time to do some exploring of your own.
FLIPPING OVER SHROVE TUESDAY
The noisy festival of Mardi Gras–the last bid for eating and excess before Ash Wednesday ushers in the self-denial of Lent–is the celebration that gets all the attention.
But in Old English tradition, the day before Lent begins is known as Pancake Tuesday, or Shrove Tuesday, and it’s marked with a race, a kiss and a few flips of a pancake.
The custom began in Olney, Buckinghamshire, in 1455, according to an encyclopedia, The Customs and Ceremonies of Britain (Thames and Hudson). In those days, it was customary to use up all the butter, eggs and other rich foods that weren’t permitted during Lenten fasting, so pancakes became the traditional Tuesday meal.
A more colorful explanation of its origins follows that a housewife, late for the pre-Lenten ceremony of the shrive (confession and absolution by a priest), ran to church with a skillet full of pancakes still in her hand.
To this day, the town of Olney holds an annual 450-yard, women-only race in which contestants run and flip pancakes at the start and finish. Last year’s winner managed it in 66 seconds; her prize, per tradition, was a kiss from the church’s bell ringer. A sister celebration is held every year in Liberal, Kan., which, inspired by magazine photos in 1950 of the Olney women, decided to create its own race.
— Kristin Eddy
A QUESTION THAT HAS BEEN BOTHERING US
Why is the first pancake out of the pan never any good?
No matter how well heated the pan, the first pancake from the batch almost always turns out pale and flabby. We turned to Harold McGee, a California food scientist and author of “The Curious Cook,” for the answer.
“Usually when you start out making pancakes, you have a freshly oiled griddle,” McGee explains. “You put the first batch of pancakes on, they soak up the oil, and the batter ends up riding on the surface of the oil. The next pancakes have more direct contact with the metal pan”–which helps them brown evenly. McGee suggest wiping excess oil in the pan with a paper towel before making the first pancake.
— K.E.
GRANDMA SONIA’S CHEESE BLINTZES
Preparation time: 35 minutes
Cooking time: 25 minutes
Yield: 24 blintzes
This recipe is from Sonia Ullman of Ottumwa, Iowa, who is the grandmother of Tribune Test Kitchen Director Raeanne Sarazen. Ullman, originally from Pinsk, Poland, has cooked for her family as well as professionally for more than 80 years.
Blintz batter:
6 eggs
2 cups water
1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
Filling:
2 pounds farmers cheese, see note
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup sour cream
1. For batter, beat eggs in medium bowl; mix in water, flour and salt. Batter should be very thin.
2. For filling, mix cheese and eggs in medium bowl. Mix in sugar and salt.
3. Coat 8-inch skillet with non-stick spray; place over medium-high heat. Pour 1/4 cup batter into pan; tilt pan to swirl batter so it covers bottom of pan. Cook one side only, removing from skillet when edges begin to curl, 20-30 seconds. Place on sheet of wax paper; repeat with remaining batter.
4. Place 2-3 tablespoons filling along one edge of crepe. Fold edge over filling, fold in sides and continue to roll into a package. Repeat with remaining crepes.
5. Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in large skillet over medium heat. Cook blintzes, about 8 at a time, until golden brown, 1-2 minutes per side. Repeat with remaining butter and blintzes. Serve with sour cream.
Test kitchen note: If farmers cheese is in a block, crumble it and use the 3 whole eggs. If it is in a container, drain the cheese first and use only egg yolks, so mixture is not too wet. Two pounds of cottage cheese, drained, can be substituted for farmers cheese.
Calories ………… 270 Fat ………… 16 g Saturated fat .. 11 g
% calories from fat .. 54 Cholesterol .. 120 mg Sodium ……. 430 mg
Carbohydrates …… 20 g Protein …….. 12 g Fiber ……… 0.2 g
BAHN ZEO
VIETNAMESE STUFFED RICE PANCAKE
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Chilling time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 6 minutes per pancake
Yield: 6 servings
Adapted from “The Foods of Vietnam,” by Nicole Routhier.
Ingredients may be found at Asian or Thai food markets.
Crepe batter:
3/4 cup dried yellow mung beans
2 cups coconut milk
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons rice flour
1/2 teaspoon each: sugar, salt
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
Filling:
1/4 pound pork tenderloin, cut into 1/4-inch slices
1/2 pound medium shrimp, shelled, deveined, halved lengthwise
1 1/2 tablespoons fish sauce (nuoc nam or nam pla)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon sugar
Freshly ground pepper
5 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
1/4 pound mushrooms, thinly sliced
2 cups bean sprouts
1. For crepes, cover beans with water; soak 30 minutes. Drain; reserve 1 cup of the beans. Blend remaining beans with coconut milk in blender or food processor to fine puree. Add rice flour, sugar, salt and turmeric; blend. Pour batter into bowl; refrigerate.
2. Boil reserved mung beans until tender, 10 minutes. Drain; set aside to cool. Combine pork, shrimp, fish sauce, garlic, sugar and pepper to taste in medium bowl. Cover; refrigerate 30 minutes.
3. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Stir-fry pork and shrimp 1 minute; remove from pan. Add 1 tablespoon of the oil, onions and mushrooms; stir-fry 4 minutes. Add bean sprouts, cooked mung beans, pork and shrimp; stir-fry 2 minutes. Remove to platter; cover with foil to keep warm.
4. Heat 1 teaspoon of the oil in 8-inch non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Stir crepe batter; pour 1/3 cup batter into pan. Tilt pan to spread mixture into thin circle. Spoon pork-shrimp mixture onto half of crepe. Cover pan; cook until crepe is crispy on bottom and cooked through, 2 minutes. Fold crepe over filling; slide pancake onto serving platter. Repeat with remaining oil, batter and filling.
Nutrition information per serving:
Calories ………… 525 Fat ……….. 30 g Saturated fat .. 16 g
% calories from fat .. 49 Cholesterol .. 70 mg Sodium ……. 620 mg
Carbohydrates …… 46 g Protein ……. 23 g Fiber ……….. 8 g
CASHEW DOSA WITH MUSTARD SEEDS
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Resting time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 3-4 minutes per dosa
Yield: 8 dosas
Adapted from “The Art of Indian Vegetarian Cooking,” by Yamuna Devi. Look for rice flour and black mustard seeds at Indian markets or spice shops.
1/3 cup chopped raw cashews
3/4 cup coarse rice flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
2/3 cup each: yogurt, water
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon each: ground red pepper, freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup melted ghee or vegetable oil, see note
1 teaspoon black mustard seeds or poppy seeds
Savory chickpeas with tangy tomato glaze, recipe follows
1. Heat oven to 250 degrees. Finely grind cashews in food processor. Add rice flour, flour and cornstarch; process 1 minute. Add yogurt, water, salt, red and black pepper; process until smooth and consistency of barely whipped cream. Add water to thin, if necessary. Cover; set aside 20 minutes.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon of the ghee in small skillet over medium heat. Cook mustard seeds until seeds crackle, 2 minutes. Let cool 1 minute; add to batter. (Skip this step if using poppy seeds; add them directly to batter.)
3. Heat 10-inch skillet over medium heat 2-3 minutes. Brush with ghee or oil. Ladle 1/3 cup of the batter into pan; let sit 2 seconds, gently shape with ladle into 7- or 8-inch circle. Drizzle 1-2 teaspoons ghee over surface of dosa; cover pan. Cook 2-3 minutes. Turn; cook uncovered 1 minute. Slide dosa onto heatproof platter; keep warm in oven while making remaining pancakes. Top with savory chickpeas in tangy tomato glaze.
Note: Ghee is clarified butter. Regular butter or vegetable oil may be substituted.
Nutrition information per serving (without chickpeas):
Calories ………… 255 Fat ………… 16 g Saturated fat .. 9 g
% calories from fat .. 56 Cholesterol … 35 mg Sodium …… 450 mg
Carbohydrates …… 25 g Protein ……. 3.8 g Fiber …….. 0.9 g
SAVORY CHICKPEAS IN TANGY TOMATO GLAZE
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Soaking time: 8 hours to overnight
Cooking time: 2 hours, 15 minutes
Yield: 8 servings
Adapted from “The Art of Indian Vegetarian Cooking.” Look for the spices and ghee (clarified butter) at Indian markets or spice shops.
1 1/4 cups dried or 3 cups canned, drained chickpeas
5 tablespoons ghee or peanut oil
1 1/2 teaspoons each, minced: fresh ginger, jalapeno pepper, seeded
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon black mustard seeds
5 medium tomatoes, peeled, seeded, diced
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon each: turmeric, garam masala
1/4 cup chopped cilantro or minced parsley
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 lemon or lime, cut into wedges
1. Soak chickpeas in water to cover 8 hours or overnight at room temperature. Place chickpeas, soaking liquid and 1 teaspoon of the ghee or oil in large, heavy saucepan; heat to boil. Reduce heat, cover; cook 2-3 hours, until chickpeas are very soft but not mushy. Drain chickpeas; reserve cooking liquid.
2. Heat 3 tablespoons ghee or oil in heavy 3-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook ginger, jalapeno, cumin and mustard seeds 2 minutes. Add tomatoes, lemon juice, turmeric, garam masala and half of the cilantro; cook 3 minutes.
3. Add chickpeas and 1/4 cup reserved cooking liquid. Reduce heat to low. Cover; simmer 10 minutes, stirring. Add more water if necessary to keep tomatoes from sticking to pan. Remove from heat, stir in salt, remaining ghee and cilantro. Garnish with lemon or lime wedges.
Nutrition information per serving:
Calories ………… 200 Fat ……….. 10 g Saturated fat .. 5 g
% calories from fat .. 43 Cholesterol .. 20 mg Sodium …… 375 mg
Carbohydrates …… 23 g Protein …….. 7 g Fiber ………. 6 g
PUFFY OVEN PANCAKE
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Standing time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 12 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Adapted from “Scandinavian Feasts,” by Beatrice Ojakangas.
4 eggs
1 cup each: milk, flour
1 teaspoon sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
Lemon wedges, confectioners’ sugar, fresh berries
1. Whisk eggs, milk, flour, sugar and salt in large bowl until well blended. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes.
2. Heat oven to 475 degrees. Divide butter between two 9- or 10-inch pie pans; place in oven until butter melts. Remove pans, swirl butter to coat sides. Divide batter between pans.
3. Bake on lowest rack of oven until pancakes are golden, set in center and rise high above sides of pan, 12-15 minutes. Cut into wedges; place on plates. Squeeze lemon juice over top of each; sprinkle with sugar and berries.
Nutrition information per serving:
Calories ………… 325 Fat ………… 18 g Saturated fat .. 18 g
% calories from fat .. 50 Cholesterol .. 250 mg Sodium ……. 530 mg
Carbohydrates …… 28 g Protein …….. 12 g Fiber ……… 0.8 g
