4 Bites: Buttermilk pancakes

Master a simple buttermilk batter, then make sweet or savoury pancakes by adjusting ingredients to suit

Basic buttermilk batter

Makes 8

1. Sift 1 cup flour with 1 Tbsp caster sugar, 1 tsp baking powder, ¼ tsp baking soda, and ⅛ tsp salt.
2. Whisk 1 large egg with 1 cup buttermilk until smooth. Gradually incorporate the dry ingredients, and 1 Tbsp melted butter and beat until smooth. Rest for 10 minutes or chill until ready to use.
3. To cook, melt 1-2 Tbsp butter in a large frying pan until foaming. Add ¼ cup spoonfuls of batter and cook until bubbles appear on the surface (approx 3-4 mins). Flip and cook until pancakes are golden on both sides, keeping them warm in the oven in a clean tea towel until ready to serve.

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Kimchi and pork pancakes

Makes 12

1. Using the batter recipe above, replace half the flour with ½ cup rice flour, and the sugar with ½ tsp salt and ground black pepper, and proceed. (You can also replace the buttermilk with ice cold water, for a more traditional pancake.)
2. Fold 1 cup chopped kimchi, 200g pork mince, 1 finely sliced spring onion and a small handful bean sprouts into the batter. Cook pancakes as above and serve with an Asian dipping sauce (recipe below).

Dipping sauce

1. Whisk together 2 Tbsp soy sauce, 1 Tbsp Korean chilli bean paste (gochujang), 1 Tbsp rice wine vinegar, 1 Tbsp sesame oil and the zest and juice of 1 lemon. Add 1 Tbsp sesame seeds and chill.

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Cheesy cornmeal pancakes

Makes 12

1. Using the batter recipe at the tope of the page, replace half the flour with ½ cup fine cornmeal (polenta), the sugar with ¼ tsp salt and ground black pepper, and proceed.
2. Mix 1 large cup grated cheddar and a handful chopped coriander into the batter and rest. Cook pancakes as above and serve with this salsa.

Vegetable cream salsa

1. Whisk together ¼ cup each of greek yogurt and creme fraiche, season with salt and ground black pepper, lemon zest and juice.
2. Add a colourful medley of finely chopped vegetables (such as corn, capsicum, spring onion and herbs) and chill.

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Banana nut pancakes

Makes 12

1. To the batter recipe at the top of the page, fold in 1-2 mashed bananas, 1 cup roughly blitzed walnuts (or pecans or hazelnuts) and a little lemon or orange zest. Cook as above.
2. Serve pancakes topped with a dollop of yoghurt and crème fraiche whipped smooth with a little lemon juice, then drizzle with maple syrup, or serve as we did with a fresh blueberry cherry compote.

Blueberry cherry compote

1. Place ½ cup water and 2-3 Tbsp honey, 1 punnet blueberries, 200g pitted and chopped cherries, the zest of 1 orange and the juice of 2 in a pan. Gently simmer until mixture is syrupy, approximately 10-15 minutes. Refrigerate to store.

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