MISO, CORN & SWEET POTATO PANCAKES

Chinese pancakes, otherwise known as bing, are one of my favourite breakfasts. I miss seeing these being sold in the markets in Beijing, usually spring onion pancakes with an eggy crêpe. This is my own version, made using shop-bought wholegrain pancakes. The filling is so quick to wok up and it tastes sweet, salty and more-ish.

Serves 2 (makes 10 pancakes) ●

Cals: 476 Carbs: 75.2g Protein: 9.8g ● ●

Fat: 15.8g ●

● 1tbsp rapeseed oil

● 2.5cm piece of fresh root ginger, grated

● 1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced into 0.5cm cubes

● 50ml (2fl oz) vegetable stock

● 1tbsp unsalted sunflower spread

● 1tsp red miso paste

● 340g tin of sweetcorn, drained

● 1tbsp tamari or low-sodium light soy sauce

● 1tbsp golden syrup

● 1tbsp mirin (Japanese rice wine)

● A pinch of chilli flakes

To serve

● 10 small shop-bought Chinesestyle wheat-flour pancakes (try Waitrose or use little gem lettuce leaves)

● 2 spring onions, trimmed and sliced into thin matchsticks

● Sriracha or other hot sauce, for drizzling (from supermarkets, optional)

Place the pancakes in a small bamboo steamer and set over a pan half-filled with water. Close the lid and steam over a high heat for 5 minutes. If you don’t have a steamer, follow the alternative directions on the pancake packet.

Meanwhile, heat a wok over a high heat until smoking, and add the rapeseed oil. Once hot, add the ginger and stir for a few seconds, then add the sweet potato cubes and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes. Continue to cook, adding drops of vegetable stock as you go in order to steam-fry the sweet potato. Cook in this manner for another 2 minutes, or until the sweet potato is soft but still has bite. Push the sweet potato cubes to one side of the wok.

Add the sunflower spread and miso paste to the centre of the wok, then add the sweetcorn and mix to coat the kernels in the miso paste. Stir well until the miso has all dissolved. Season with the tamari or light soy sauce and the golden syrup, then add the mirin to loosen. Cook until slightly reduced, then toss the sweet potato and sweetcorn together for 30 seconds. Sprinkle with chilli flakes.

To serve, fold each steamed pancake in half to form a semicircle, then in half again to make a shape like an ice-cream cone. Holding the cone between your thumb and forefinger, fill it with the sweet potato and sweetcorn mixture. Top with spring onions, drizzle with sriracha or hot sauce (if you like) and eat.