First, I must write a little something about Tsampa, especially for does who don’t know what it is. Tsampa is one of the main ingredients in Tibetan food. It’s simply roasted barley ground into a fine flour. My mum used to make a porridge like breakfast with it when I was a child. I loved it plane mixed with a little butter and rice milk. Later I started to add fruit to it and now I like to experiment with it and use it as a substitute for wheat flour. In Switzerland, you can buy it at health food stores labeled as “SONAM’S TSAMPA”.
A few Weeks ago, I was craving pancakes so I followed a GF recipe from David Frenkiel & Luise Vindahl’s first cookbook “The Green Kitchen” which contains as a base: bananas, eggs and shredded coconut. The pancakes really turned out beautifully and delicious. I must confess the texture of the shredded coconut irritated me, the use of the banana on the other hand is wonderful. I tried to replace the shredded coconut with Tsampa and I find the substitution is totally worth it. The flavor is more interesting, the Tsampa adds a “nuttyness” to the pancakes. These pancakes are quick to do and a great way to start your day in the morning.
INGREDIENTS
portion for one (for every additional portion just make double, triple, .., the amount)
- 1 ripe banana.
- 1 large egg.
- 1/4 Cup/70g Tsampa.
- 1 hard but ripe persimmon (Kaki) or any kind of seasonal fruit.
- 1/2 Cup or as much as you like large flake shredded coconut.
- pinch of salt.
- some virgin coconut oil for the skillet.
- some clear liquid honey or maple syrup.
STEP BY STEP
- In a skillet over low to medium heat, toast the coconut flakes (be careful not to burn them). When nicely toasted set aside to cool in a separate bowl. Don’t wash the skillet, you’ll need it for the pancakes.
- On a plate or a cutting board cut the persimmon into fine slices (I prefer small fruit pieces for this).
- In a bowl squash the banana with a fork, add in the egg and mix until well combined
- Add in the Tsampa and the salt and mix again until combined.
- heat up the skillet (non-stick is easier to handle) over medium high heat, add in the coconut oil, enough to coat the bottom. Reduce the heat to low.
- using a spoon pour the batter into the skillet forming small pancakes, I manage to make 4 medium size with this amount and it’s plenty for me 🙂
- place them on a preheated plate if you want them to stay warm longer, top with the fruit, honey and the coconut flakes.
TIP
I love to drink a cappuccino or some jasmin green tea on the side.
Enjoy!