Pancakes (A Westerner's Version of Parathas)

The other day, while watching the Cricket World cup (India won) I came to the realization that pancakes are basically a westerner’s version of parathas. My friend Akshita just came back home from Lancaster University and I was super excited to see her. Last time, I got her a mala to welcome her home (you know the type), but this time I didn't get her anything. Anyways, so as we were watching the finals, she said how she missed eating these incredible pancakes in college, so I decided to make her some pancakes, to show her how Chennai-pancakes-can-compete-with-Lancaster-pancakes, and essentially win. 

So here is the recipe:

Mix 1 ½ cups flour, 3 tbsp’s sugar, 1 tsp baking powder, ½ tsp baking soda, and ½ tsp salt together.

Then whisk 1 ¼ cup milk-yogurt mixture (equal ratios of milk and yogurt), 50 g butter (melted) (I use Amul butter, but any will do. Just make sure that it is salted), 2 eggs, and 2 tsp good quality vanilla extract (You will have to estimate the amount of vanilla you want to use, considering that if you are using normal-quality vanilla, then you need to put in some more).

Finally, whisk the wet mixture into the dry mixture.

Then grease your pan with butter, using a tissue. Take a small bowl (the size of your palm) or a dosa pourer and fill it with the mixture. One bowl should make one fluffy pancake, so you need to estimate how much to put in one bowl, keeping in mind the size of your pancake. Pour it onto the pan. Wait for about 30 seconds till bubbles start forming on the top side of the pancake (the side that is visible to you), and flip. Do not worry if you don’t get a perfectly shaped pancake, as it does not make it any less glorious.

I made half of the pancakes plain ones, and the other half chocolate chip ones.

To make chocolate chip pancakes, all you need to do is, cut the chocolate into small pieces (I use Divine Fruit and Nut dark chocolate, available at Oxfam, England, but any good-quality chocolate will do) and sprinkle lots or little on the side of the pancake that is facing you, before you flip it.

 

If you are making chocolate pancakes, you should know that they turn out to be quite messy. Remember to grease the pan with butter using a tissue every time you make a new pancake, because otherwise the chocolate gets stuck to the pan, and burns on your pancake. Also, not greasing the pancake, will give you an unevenly cooked pancake. So remember to grease.

And now, EAT! 

These sweet parathas will also make Yuvraj Singh swoon with happiness.