Spiced Red Lentil Pancakes
These flourless pancakes are lightly spiced with garam masala and made with lentils. They are brilliantly rich in protein and fibre, as well as key nutrients including folate, iron, calcium, zinc and magnesium. Lentils are a powerhouse of nutrition!
They are inspired from the dosas we loved when my husband and I lived in South India, but they don’t come out so crispy and thin. I recommend you try serving these pancakes with your favourite South Indian curry fillings. They are delicious served on their own and we love them folded around dal or a coconut-based prawn curry with some fresh coriander and a squeeze of lime. You can also dip them into cucumber raita or an Indian chutney or sambar.
This version uses soaked red lentils to create a smooth batter and are flavoured with garam masala to give them a warming and comforting taste. Soaking the lentils helps make them more digestible and also helps with the uptake of the nutrients.
The pancakes are quite filling and moreish on their own and make a great switch from eating wheat flour pancakes. They are naturally low-carb, grain-free and also free-from all the key allergens including gluten, dairy, eggs, soya and nuts. A great recipe for kids who only eat beige & crunchy foods! Suitable for all ages from weaning upwards.
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Spiced Red Lentil Pancakes
Ingredients
- 240 g Red Lentils (dried)
- 480 ml Water
- 1 tsp Salt
- 2 tsp Garam Masala
- 100 g Coconut Oil
Instructions
- The night/morning before you are going to make the pancakes, rinse the lentils thoroughly, drain, then cover with exactly double the amount of water and soak overnight/over the day.
- To make the batter, tip the lentils and water into a blender along with the salt and garam masala. Whizz up for 30-60 seconds to create a super smooth batter.
- Heat 1 heaped teaspoon of coconut oil in a hot frying pan, and then add a ladle of batter. Ensure the pancake is nice and flat and even in the pan.
- Cook for 2 minutes until the pancake is crisp and browned nicely, then flip and continue to cook the other side until crisp. Set aside whilst you cook the full batch, adding more coconut oil to the pan each time to ensure a crispy finish.
- Fill the pancake with your favourite filling!
Notes
- If you are short on time, there is no need to soak the lentils, you can simply grind the lentils in a blender with a grinding blade, then add water, garam masala and salt to create the batter. Dried red lentils are the easiest lentils to source in supermarkets but also try the more traditional white Urad Dal.
- To make softer more flexible pancake for very young kids or kids with sensory issues, then reduce the cooking time for each pancake by one minute each side. This will make them a light pinky-brown colour.
- You can store the batter for up to 4 days in the fridge. Bring it back to room temperature before you cook it.
Can you use olive oil for cooking?