Smoky Wok

Pancakes are not only breakfast food to me - I think they make great snacks that you can whip up quickly and I've also been known to have 'typical' breakfast foods for dinners.  I thought of making blueberry compote when I saw some gorgeous looking blueberries at the local grocery store and I thought pancakes would make the perfect accompaniment or rather canvas. I totally adore the gorgeous colours that the blueberry compote provided, soaked up so deliciously by the extra fluffy pancakes today.  Just to experiment, I decided to borrow an idea from my go-to naan recipe and used soured milk instead of just milk, I am not entirely sure of the sciences behind, but my pancakes were fluffier and lighter than usual and I did not even separate the white of the egg to beat separately. 



This was my first time making blueberry compote at home and I am pleased to report that it proved really popular with my guests, the pancakes (and the compote) were finished in no time.  The compote was extremely easy to whip up where you just need to cook the bluberries together with some sugar and a squirt of lemon juice until the berries start (literally) popping out of their skins.  Easy, delicious and gorgeous to boot, I hope you'll give this a try the next time you want something a little more than maple syrup to serve with your pancakes.





For blueberry compote

Ingredients:

1 cup fresh blueberries, rinsed
1 tbsp sugar or to taste
Squirt of lemon juice (about 1 tsp)

Method:

Place the blueberries, sugar and lemon juice into a heavy bottomed pot or skillet.  On medium heat, cook the blueberries until the berries start popping out.  The consistency should be jam-like with the liquids seeping out, with some berries still intact.  Remove from heat and set aside.



For pancakes

Ingredients:

3/4 cup milk + 2 tbsps white vinegar to make soured milk
1 cup all purpose flour
2 tbsps sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg, room temperature preferred
2 tbsps butter

Icing sugar for dusting (optional)

Method:

Firstly, make the soured milk by leaving the milk and vinegar mixture for about 5-10 minutes.

In a large bowl, sieve the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together.  Add sugar. 

Whisk in the egg and butter into the soured milk mixture.  Pour into the flour mixture and whisk until all lumps are gone. The consistency should be pretty thick and not runny.

Lightly oil a pan (use medium heat) and spoon  about 2 tbsps (I used a small soup ladle) onto the pan and once the surface starts bubbling, turn over and cook until lightly browned, about 1 minute or less.  Repeat with the remaining until batter is used up.

Serve immediately with compote.  Dust with some icing sugar if desired.