Spiced pancakes with tomato and basil beans

I shared my first UK snack recipe last week, and today I am pleased to share my first main meal recipe. (It is typical, of course, that the dishes came in that order.) These spiced pancakes with tomato and basil beans are perfect for summer or winter, and make the most of fresh, vibrant ingredients.

I used a pre-made curry powder mix in the pancake batter, but you could mix and match spices to suit your tastes or what you have on hand. A combination of cumin, turmeric, coriander and/or black pepper would do the job nicely. For the bean mix, fresh basil would be best, but obviously dried could be substituted if necessary. Similarly, fresh tomatoes would be ideal if they are in season, but the tinned equivalent provides an easy stand in for when they aren't.

You could easily make a double batch of the bean mix, to use the leftovers in other dishes (such as a filling for baked potatoes or sweet potatoes, or on top of pasta) or for freezing. The pancakes, of course, need to be made and eaten fresh, but they are quick to prepare and cook.

Spiced pancakes with tomato and basil beans

An easy, vibrant meal for 2

Vegan and low in fat

Author: Bite-Sized Thoughts

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Ingredients

For the bean mix -

Drizzle of oil, for cooking

1 onion, diced

1 clove of garlic, crushed

1 red or yellow pepper, roughly chopped

1 large carrot, grated

1 cup cooked beans of choice (I used adzuki)

1 cup crushed or roughly chopped tomatoes, either from fresh tomatoes or using a tinned mix

1 small bunch fresh basil leaves, roughly torn or chopped

For the pancakes -

1/2 cup plain flour (I used regular wheat flour, but gluten free types could be substituted if required)

1/2 cup + 1 tbsp water

1 heaped tsp curry powder, or 1/2 tsp each of turmeric and cumin plus a pinch of salt and a few cracks of pepper

Parsley, chopped, to garnish

Method

For the beans, heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large saucepan and saute the onion and garlic until golden. Add the pepper, carrot, beans and tomatoes and reduce heat to medium-low. Allow to simmer uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes, while you prepare the pancakes. (You will add the basil at the end.)

For the pancakes, combine the flour, water and spice in a mixing bowl and whisk well to combine. Heat a non-stick pan over medium-high heat and spray with oil if required. Ladel one-quarter of the pancake batter into the pan, and tilt the pan to distribute evenly. Allow to cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until bubbles start to form on the surface. Flip, cook for a further 2 to 3 minutes, and then repeat for the remaining batter. 

You may want to keep the prepared pancakes warm in a low oven.

When the pancakes are nearly cooked, add the basil to the tomato-bean mix and stir through. When ready, top pancakes with the tomato-bean mix and garnish with chopped parsley.

What have you been eating this weekend?

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