Spicy Chickpea Flour Pancakes with Red Onion Salad and Fried Eggs

BY RACHEL GREEN

Ingredients

• 120g gram flour
• ½ sachet yeast
• A pinch of sugar
• ½ tsp turmeric (optional)
• 1tsp of ground cumin
• ½ tsp of ground coriander
• Sea salt and black pepper
• 1 medium egg, beaten
• 120ml cold water
• 1 green chilli, finely chopped
• A handful chopped coriander
• 1 tsp grated ginger
• ½ tsp baking powder
• Vegetable or rapeseed oil, for frying

Method:

Place the flour, yeast, sugar and turmeric (if using) in a large bowl with a good pinch of salt. Beat the egg with the water and then mix into the flour, whisking until smooth. Cover with cling film and set aside for an hour or until it has doubled in size. Add the chilli, coriander and ginger along with the baking powder; mix well and set aside for a further 15 minutes.

Put a heavy-based frying pan on a medium heat and add a tablespoon of vegetable or rapeseed oil. When hot, put four heaped dessertspoons of the batter into the pan, and cook for 4 minutes in total, turning once halfway through, until the pancakes have risen and are light, fluffy and golden brown.

Transfer to a wire rack and set aside while you cook the remaining batter mixture, adding more oil with each batch.

Serve at once, with the onion and tomato salsa and a fried egg.

For the Onion and Coriander Salad:

• 1 large red onion, peeled and finely diced
• 3 large vine tomatoes, finely diced
• ½ cucumber, finely diced
• A good squeeze lemon juice
• I -2 green chillies, finely chopped, depending on taste
• A handful coriander leaves, chopped
• Sea salt and black pepper
• A pinch of ground cumin

Combine the salad ingredients and just before serving sprinkle over the pancakes topped with a fried or poached egg and serve with minted yoghurt on the side.

Tip:

Remember to use gluten free baking powder for gluten free pancakes. Chickpea flour is readily available from major retailers’ health food shops and many other places and online.