The pancake for every occasion
Iwent through a phase a few years ago of making savoury chickpea pancakes at least once every week. Sometimes for breakfast, sometimes for lunch - and always loaded with delicious toppings; pesto, hummus, sauteed veges, roasted nuts or whatever leftovers were in the fridge.
The batter is so easy to make - just chickpea flour and water - so is naturally gluten free and vegan.
This time, I’ve paired the pancakes with a flavourful mushroom sauce, and refreshing minted yoghurt and cucumber.
Give this recipe a go for lunch or a light dinner; you’ll revisit those pancakes again I’m sure!
Go to Olivia’s website www. thatgreenolive.com for more recipes.
CHICKPEA PANCAKES with SPICED PORTOBELLOS, CUCUMBER and MINTED YOGHURT
Ingredients
SPICED PORTOBELLOS
250g portobello mushrooms 1 large onion, thinly sliced 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped 1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1⁄2 tsp smoked paprika
1⁄2 tsp salt
1⁄4 tsp ground black pepper
1⁄4 tsp ground nutmeg
CHICKPEA PANCAKES
1 cup chickpea flour
1⁄2 tsp salt
1 small cucumber, sliced into ribbons Sliced almonds, to garnish
MINTED YOGHURT
1 cup Greek yoghurt
2 Tbsp packed mint leaves, shredded
1⁄4 tsp salt
METHOD
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes until just beginning to brown. Add spices and cook, stirring often, for a further 3 minutes. Add mushrooms, salt and pepper along with 1 cup of water.
Continue cooking over mediumhigh for 15-20 minutes, until almost all the liquid has evaporated. Reduce heat to low and keep warm.
To make the yoghurt, mix all ingredients in a bowl and keep chilled.
For the pancakes, whisk chickpea flour and salt together, then add 1 cup of water and whisk until smooth.
Lightly grease a large non-stick frying pan and set over medium-high heat. Pour in about half a cup batter, gently spreading out with the back of a spoon to make a flat pancake. Cook for 2-3 minutes each side, until lightly browned and cooked through. Repeat
with remaining batter; you should have three pancakes.
To serve, spread each pancake generously with minted yoghurt. Pile over cucumber ribbons, then top with spiced portobellos.
Sprinkle with sliced almonds and serve immediately. —