Vegetable Pancakes with Sesame Dipping Sauce
These vegetable-based pancakes differ from fritters as they contain no eggs, instead bound with flour. What I love about these pancakes is that they are loaded with vegetables, and once cooked, they all caramelize beautifully. They are served with a flavour-balanced dipping sauce made from toasted sesame seeds, vinegar (for sourness), soy sauce (for saltiness), sugar (for sweetness), and chili (for spice) to taste. For a complete meal, I like to pair these vegetable pancakes with a fried egg or two. This recipe yields enough pancake mix to last over two days of lunches (or for one meal). Alternatively, it can be served as a vegetable side dish alongside rice and pan-fried tofu or sticky pork.
Ingredients
- 3 cups grated or thinly sliced vegetables, such as;
- grated carrot
- thinly sliced red capsicum
- thinly shredded green cabbage
- grated kūmara or potato
- thinly sliced spring onion or red onion
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ cup plain flour (can use gluten-free flour)
- 2 tbsp cornflour or tapioca flour
- about ⅓ cup water
- clarified butter (ghee) or coconut oil for cooking
- sesame seeds for sprinkling
Sesame dipping sauce
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
- ½ tsp sugar
- chilli flakes or sauce to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the vegetables and place them into a mixing bowl. Sprinkle over the salt and toss and scrunch the vegetables to soften.
- Add the flour and water and mix with a chopstick or a fork until well combined. If the mixture feels dry add an extra splash of water.
- Combine the dipping sauce ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
- Heat a heavy-based frying pan over moderate to high heat. Add a dab (about 1/2 teaspoon) of clarified butter or coconut oil to the pan.
- Scoop heaped tablespoon amounts of the pancake mixture into the pan. Cook 3-4 pancakes at a time, pressing them down with the metal spatula into a thin pancake about 5mm thick.
- Sprinkle sesame seeds over the uncooked surface of the pancakes, then cook for 3-4 minutes on each side until golden. Transfer to a plate.
- Repeat with the remaining mixture if cooking all at once, or cover and place in the fridge for up to 2 days.
- Serve the pancakes hot with dipping sauce on the side.