Asparagus Chickpea Pancakes
Asparagus Chickpea Pancake is a delicious and healthy twist on Indian Besan Chilla - perfect for those looking to add more plant-based meals to their diet. Made with chickpea flour and fresh asparagus, this gluten-free and vegan-friendly recipe offers a savory alternative to sweet breakfast pancakes. Rich in protein and fiber, these pancakes are not only flavorful but also packed with nutrients, making them an excellent choice for a satisfying meal any time of day.
Ingredients
Chilla
- 500 g asparagus
- 200 g dried chickpeas
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- Freshly ground black pepper
Wild Garlic Pesto
- 40 g sunflower seeds
- 100 g wild garlic (or basil and half a small garlic clove)
- 50 g sourdough (ideally stale)
- 1 tsp miso
- 150 ml extra virgin olive oil
Salad
- 25 g mint
- 15 g dill
- 50 g watercress
- 1 lemon
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 220°C. Trim the asparagus spears and peel the lower fifth. Then add to a lined baking tray, drizzle with some olive oil as well as 1/4 tsp salt and mix to coat evenly. Roast the spears on the highest shelf for 10 minutes. Once done, set them aside and switch the oven to the grill setting for later.
- To make the pesto, toast the sunflower seeds in a small frying pan until golden and nutty. Then set aside to cool down slightly. To the bowl of a food processor, add the wild garlic, sourdough (if it’s not stale, just pop it in the toaster until crunchy), most of the sunflower seeds (keep the rest to garnish later on), the miso and 1/2 tsp salt and pulse into a chunky paste. Add the olive oil and pulse to combine, then transfer to a bowl. It will need some lemon juice, but we’re adding it to the dressing later on so that it doesn’t fade the green colour of the pesto.
- For the salad, pick the mint and dill leaves and add to a bowl along with the watercress. In a separate bowl mix together 1 tbsp of the pesto with 1 tbsp of lemon juice and 1/2 tsp salt. Don’t mix the dressing through yet, or it will soften the leaves too much.
- Add the dried chickpeas to a blender (I use my Vitamix) and grind them into a flour, then pass it through a sieve to remove any gritty bits. You want around 180g of chickpea flour in the end.
- Now it’s time to make the pancakes. In a large bowl, mix together the chickpea flour, turmeric and 1 tsp salt, then whisk in 350 ml of water to form a pourable batter. Heat a tablespoon of oil in a large non-stick pan over medium heat. Give the batter a good stir and pour half of it into the centre of the pan. Use the back of the ladle to spread the batter into a thin pancake and a pour a little more oil over the pancake and around the edges. Spread half of the roasted asparagus spears over the pancake, pressing them into the batter, and keep cooking it for around 1 minute until the pancake begins to loosen around the edges and you can move it in the pan. Use a spatula to gently lift the edges to help it along. Then place the pan on the highest shelf in the oven and grill for another minute. Transfer to a plate and continue with the next pancake.
- Now toss the dressing through the salad and add half of it to each pancake, followed by the remaining sunflower seeds, a few extra dollops of pesto, a generous squeeze of lemon juice, a good grind of black pepper and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil.
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