Lentil Pancakes

An adaptation of Indian lentil (dal) pancakes.

• Lentils (red, yellow, or black suggested)
• Onion
• Garlic
• Ginger
• Dried chile pepper (optional)
• Salt
• Egg
• Flour
• Cilantro / coriander
• Scallions
• Green chile (optional)
• Cooking fat (butter, ghee, coconut oil, lard, olive oil...)
• Cumin seeds
• Coriander seeds

Soak the lentils in water overnight.

Drain the soaked lentils. Chop the onion, garlic, and ginger. Combine the chopped ingredients in a bowl with the drained lentils, an egg, salt, and the dried chile, if using.

Using a handheld immersion blender, blend the ingredients into a uniform-ish paste. (You could use a food processor or standing blender instead). To help the mixture stick together in the pan, add a few tablespoons of flour, as per your judgement.

Finally, chop the scallions, cilantro, and chile, and fold them into the batter to form a uniform mixture.

Using a non-stick pan makes cooking and clean-up easier.

Heat some of the cooking fat. Add a pinch of cumin and coriander seeds.

When the spices are fragrant, add plop of the pancake batter. Wait a moment or two for the batter to set, then spread the batter around the pan using a spatula or similar instrument. The batter will not flow by itself like crepe batter; you must spread it out yourself to the desired thickness.

After a minute or two (the bottom of the pancake should hold together), flip the pancake with a spatula. Cook on the other side for a minute or two more, then remove to a plate.

If the pan has dried out, add a bit more cooking fat and some more coriander and cumin seeds; repeat the cooking process.

This tutorial used a mixture of black and red lentils. A version with only red lentils is shown in the last picture of this step; the result is a lighter-colored pancake.