Make the perfect Green Plantain Pancakes

Happy Shrove Tuesday – and welcome to Pancake Day 2016!

I am so excited to share this recipe.. Because this recipe is easy-peasy and lip-smacking good.

I came across a version of this recipe at livinglovingpaleo and I have been hooked ever since! I have modified it slightly by substituting vanilla for cinnamon. You can check out the original recipe here.

You only need 2 main ingredients for this recipe – An unripe/green plantain and eggs – That’s it. Now as far as simplicity goes you can’t say better than that.

Ok so how does this actually work? Well, pancakes are fundamentally very simple, consisting of two parts – dry and wet ingredients. The dry ingredient which in its basic form is flour contains starch and protein. In this recipe, the unripe plantain acts as a substitute for flour (which has been mixed with water/milk). Unripe plantains have a high starch content, which makes them a good substitute for flour. Because of the higher starch content compared to ripe plantains for example, the resulting pancakes are not sweet per se – I would describe them as savoury. But this lower sugar content is what makes it a perfect addition to a diabetic diet, as it has a lower glycemic index. If you like it sweet, serve with honey or maple syrup!

The eggs in this recipe act as a binder, holding the batter together and delivering a suppleness that the plantain alone cannot provide. The recipe calls for using the whole egg, as the yolk imparts a silky texture while the egg whites impart a resilience to the resulting batter.

There are 2 other two ingredients in this recipe – baking powder which delivers a fluffiness to the pancakes and cinnamon which imparts an aromatic sweetness.

Once the batter is made, the next step is to fry the pancakes. Frying the pancakes in coconut oil gives it a rich, nutty flavour.

Let’s talk about the pan for a minute. Please do not use a thin-based pan or one with a scuffed surface as you are just asking for the pancakes to stick to the pan and cook unevenly. I would recommend a thick, heavy pan with a non-stick surface.

These pancakes are not the easiest to flip. The key is in making each pancake small in size so as to make it easier to flip. Use about 2 tablespoons of batter per pancake – this should result in a good-sized pancake.

The other tip is to ensure you set the heat to medium. This will prevent the outside of the pancake from burning while the inside is barely cooked. On medium heat, it took about 6 – 7 minutes for the first side to cook enough to flip. When flipping, use two flat-edged spatulas, and make sure they are completely under the pancake – using one spatula to push the pancake onto the other spatula.
And now, don’t just take my word for it – try this out for yourself and tell me what you think.