Any Legume Pancakes
Legumes are a powerhouse, both nutritionally as well as in their contribution to nature (more on that below), and by simply choosing to eat them, we can support their diversity and those who grow them. These pancakes are an easy way to do exactly that. Because no matter which legumes you have access to, you can turn them into a savoury staple that can be flavoured in whichever way you like.
Ingredients
Mung Bean Pancakes
- 100 g dried mung beans
- 50 g basmati rice (or other grains)
- 50 g spinach
- 10 g ginger
- 1 green chili
- 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp oil
Chickpea Pancakes
- 100 g dried chickpeas
- 50 g basmati rice (or other grains)
- 10 g ginger
- 1 green chili
- 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 1 tbsp oil
Red Lentil Pancakes
- 100 g dried red lentils
- 50 g basmati rice (or other grains)
- 10 g ginger
- 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
- 1 tbsp oil
Instructions
For the Mung Bean Pancakes
- Add the mung beans and rice to a bowl and wash them 3-4 times until the water runs almost clear, then soak them in at least 500ml of water overnight.
- The next day, drain them and grind (I used my Vitamix E310) together with the spinach, ginger, chilli, cumin seeds, salt and enough water (150-200ml) to form a pourable batter.
- Heat 1 tsp of the oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add a ladle of the batter, spreading it out into a thin pancake with the back of the ladle.
- Drizzle some more oil around the edges and fry the pancake until it easily loosens from the pan (1-2 mins). Flip it over and fry the other side until cooked through (1-2 mins). Set aside and continue with the remaining batter.
For the Chickpea Pancakes
- Follow the steps above to make the batter with 200-250ml water (but don’t add the turmeric yet). Pour the batter into a bowl and mix in the turmeric, then fry as instructed above.
For the Red Lentil Pancakes
- Follow the steps above to make the batter with 75-125ml water, including the chilli powder. Then fry as instructed above.
Notes
IMPORTANT: Most legumes contain natural toxins as a defence mechanism against wild predators. Whilst soaking and then cooking them will make them safe to consume, some legumes like red kidney beans contain additional toxins that are more difficult to break down and the cooking time for the pancakes might not be sufficient to do so. Although this recipes works in principle with any legume, I'd recommend sticking to the ones I've used here. If you'd like to experiment, it's best to use lentils rather than beans, as they are generally easier to digest.
Storage: Refrigerate any leftover batter for 2-3 days.