How do you make a pancake smile on National Pancake Day (26 Sept 2019)? Butter him up. As a classic American breakfast staple, a pancake is a flat, thin and round cake, prepared from a batter that contains eggs, milk and butter.
Pancake is usually fried on griddle or frying pan with oil or butter. Pancakes go by many names, from hoe cakes, johnnycakes, flapjacks, to crêpe. With so many aliases, most pancakes have a defining characteristic, which is flatness.
History of pancakes
Flat as a pancake. The Englishman has been eating and using pancakes as a catchphrase since the 17th century. Before that, Europeans have been making thin, flat pancakes of different types for centuries and its first mention dated back to the 5th century, which can be found in Greek historical writings. It is believed that the ancient Greeks made pancakes called tagēnias, derived from the word tagēnon, which means frying pan.
Today, pancakes are often differentiated between European pancakes (crêpes) and American pancakes. The former is often associated with Brittany, a region in the northwest of France. To be more precise, pancakes that are made with wheat flour are called crêpes, whereas those that are made with buckwheat flour are called galettes.
European pancakes range from Austrian Palatschinken, Slovene palačinke, Swedish pancakes to Dutch pannenkoeken and they are among the most popular dessert in the world today.The American pancakes are made with four basic ingredients, namely flour, eggs, milk and butter.
Sometimes, a rising ingredient such as baking soda or powder is added. American pancakes are thicker in shape, allowing additions to be mixed into the batter, such as bananas, blueberries and chocolate chips. They are often served in stacks, with butter and syrup as toppings. Sometimes, the best topping means more stacks of pancakes.
1. Lempeng, not Lempang
In Malaysia, the traditional Malay pancakes are called lempeng. It is cooked similarly to the American style and usually served during breakfast with a hot chicken or beef curry, rendang, sambal, granulated coconut or sweetened condensed milk.
There are many secret recipes out there on how to make a fluffy and tasty lempeng, but one of the best is usually shared by our makcik bawang. If you have never tried making lempeng, here is a quick and simple recipe for you.
Ingredients:
- 3 ladles of wheat flour
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp. of Mauripan Instant Yeast
- Salt
- 2 – 3 cups of water
Directions:
- Mix all the ingredients to form the batter. Put the batter aside for at least an hour.
- Preheat the non-stick frying pan and brush lightly with oil.
- Pour a ladle of the batter onto the pan. Cook until the underside turns golden brown and flip it to cook the other side.
- Repeat the process with the remaining batter.
Make sure to eat it with a delicious curry or aromatic rendang to start your Malaysian morning.
2. Roti Jala
Roti jala literally means ‘net bread’. The making process of roti jala is almost similar to that of a pancake. The only difference is that once cooked, the thin, flat pancake is rolled into a cylindrical shape. Roti jala is a common staple during tea break or special occasions such as weddings, Ramadhan and Eid, and it is best served with chicken or beef curry. Here is a quick recipe on how to make roti jala.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups of wheat flour
- 2 cups of unthicken coconut milk
- 1 tsp. of salt
- 2 tbsp. of cooking oil
- ¼ tsp. of turmeric powder
Directions:
- Blend all the ingredients well until the batter thickens. Put it aside for at least an hour.
- Preheat the non-stick frying pan and brush lightly with cooking oil.
- Using a cup dispenser for roti jala, pour the batter onto the pan and cook until the underside turns golden brown and flip.
- Once both sides are cooked, remove the pancake from the pan.
- While it is still hot, roll the pancake into a cylindrical shape.
- Repeat the process with the remaining of the batter.
- Don’t forget to buy your chicken or beef curry.
Where to find pancakes in Klang Valley?
If you are craving for a stack of pancakes, several cafés sell a variety of them around Klang Valley. Making it to this list is Urban Daybreak Bangsar. Originated from Penang, Urban Daybreak Bangsar has opened a branch in Bangsar.
While Urban Daybreak Bangsar specialises on a healthy and tasty variety of brunch, they also serve delicious desserts, especially their Cream Cheese Hot Cakes. Added with homemade lime and basil ice cream, pistachio bits and raspberry puree, it is a must-try for all foodie out there.
To those who are planning to escape the hustle and bustle of the city, Jam & Kaya is your perfect escape. Jam & Kaya café has a homelike interior decoration, overlooking a pool. Located inside Petaling Jaya Palms Sports Centre, their infamous Farmer’s Pancakes Breakfast is a must for a first-timer.
If you are a real pancakes fanatic, you ought to be familiar with our next entry. Wicked Pancake Parlour is a café that serves really wicked good pancakes, and they also come up with their own distinct pancake flavours. If you ever come to Wicked Pancake Parlour, you must try their signature pancake dish, an Apam Balik-inspired pancake that tastes wickedly good.
Craving for more stacks of pancakes? Discover them on foodpanda and get them delivered right to your doorsteps.