Tahini, Cinnamon & Carob Pancakes

Serves 4

Carob is a historic staple of Cypriot agriculture; if you haven't tried it, it's often compared to chocolate. Carob syrup is rich, and a little goes a long way!

• 250g (8.8oz) plain flour

• 2 tbsp caster sugar

• ½ tsp ground cinnamon

• ¼ tsp fine sea salt

• 500ml (17.5fl oz) plant milk of choice

(oat and almond work well)

• 2 tsp olive or vegetable oil, plus extra for greasing

• 5 tbsp tahini

• 3 tbsp vegan honey

• 2 tbsp carob syrup

• 2 bananas, optional

1 Place the plain flour in a large mixing bowl and whisk in the caster sugar, the cinnamon and half the sea salt. Make a well in the middle and whisk in the milk and oil until smooth. It should be the consistency of double cream — if it is a little thick add a splash more milk. Leave the batter to rest in the fridge for half an hour if possible. Put a kettle on. In a small bowl, mix the tahini with three or four tablespoons of just-boiled water until smooth, then stir in the vegan honey and the rest of the salt. Set aside.

2 When you are ready to make your pancakes, place a large non-stick frying pan on a medium heat. Drizzle in a touch of oil, and use kitchen paper to spread it over the pan. You don't want too much oil, just enough to cover the base. When the pan is hot, ladle in the batter and tilt the pan so it covers the base. The first pancake often goes a bit wrong — chef's perks for snacking — but it will help you figure out how much batter you need to cover your pan. Cook for a further minute or two, then serve or transfer to a plate. You can either serve the pancakes as you go, drizzling them with the sweetened tahini and then the carob syrup on top, or cook all the batter and keep them warm on a plate in a low oven. Repeat with all the batter, rubbing a little oil on the base of the pan every so often. If you've kept the pancakes warm as you've cooked them, arrange them on a platter and, when ready, drizzle the tahini and carob over the lot. Try them with sliced banana — it works well with the nutty sweet tahini and rich carob.