Buckwheat, I learnt about them when I had soba noodle in Japan. In fact, buckwheat flour/ Kuttu ki atta is commonly used during certain festival (Navaratri, Ekadashi, Janamashthami, and Maha Shivaratri), as part of fasting diet in northern India. When people in North India skip eating rice, wheat, lentils etc, they substitute the diet with gluten free flour like amaranth flour, buckwheat flour etc. I had not heard about them. India is a huge country with its diverse food culture that varies from states to states.
Nowadays I am in quest of finding new flours and incorporating them in diet. Most of the time my mission won’t reach completion, and still I am struggling to make flat bread with sorghum. For the time being I have dropped that idea and moving on with my new flours. One good thing is poor hubby will support me in all these culinary experiments.
Buckwheat has more protein than rice, wheat, millet or corn and it is high in amino acids like lysine and arginine which is not present in other cereal crops. Due to this presence of amino acids it one of cholesterol-lowering food resulting in lowering blood sugar (and thus helping diabetics) and control of obesity, it can also help in our heart health by lowering hypertension/high blood pressure. It also contains phytonutrient like Lignans, which are known to protect against heart diseases. Read more from here
Do you know that there is a buckwheat festival in Preston County, West Virginia during the summer months? West Virginia is another place where I first stayed and worked in USA. I love that green hilly mountains areas, and you can’t drive the car without making sharp turns and lots of time, visibility is only about 1 mile, after that you need to make turns. My driving instructor told me if you learned driving here in the roads of West Virginia, you can drive anywhere in the world.
Buckwheat groats/ seeds are used as porridge in Eastern Europe, In Japan it is consumed as soba noodles. In Russia it is used to make pancakes/blini. In France it is used to make crepes called Galettes. Buckwheat flour has strong earthy taste. It also belongs to the group of food that you need to develop an acquired taste according to me. Either you love or you hate it. My hubby found that buckwheat pancakes are tastier when you consume with maple syrup, or jam than the savory version.
I bought buckwheat flour from Whole Foods at first, but then came to know that it is one you can see it as kuttu ki atta in Indian store. Latter ones were cheaper than from Whole Foods. After buying it, I was in intense search of recipes, but most was for blinis, or of a mix with All-purpose flour. I love to work with yeast, so I found recipe here and here.
I liked the idea of adding sour cream to buckwheat flour, but not yet ready to add sour cream and yeast along with buckwheat so used only buckwheat flour, sugar and yeast for fermentation overnight in the refrigerator and next morning added sour cream, egg and milk to make this pancake. They are delicious if eat with maple syrup. I think sweet side of this pancake makes it more appealing than the savory side. So if you are willing to try buckwheat flour, make this pancakes they make great breakfast.
Here goes the recipe.
In a Tupperware mix buckwheat flour and sugar and yeast and mix with 1 ½ cup warm water and let yeast do its job. Refrigerate the dough for overnight.
The next morning, mix in with milk, salt, ghee and egg yolk. Whip the egg white into soft peaks and fold in to form a loose crepe/pancake batter.
When your skillet is hot just brush with ghee. Add ¼ cup batter to form a circle. Cook for 1 minute one side and flip the other side and cook for another minute or until it develop brown spots on both sides.
Remove from the fire enjoy with maple syrup still they are warm.
Gluten Free Buckwheat Pancake/Crepe
Adapted from here and here
Prep Time 20 minutes + overnight for fermentation
Cook Time 15 minutes
Serves 12 no
Ingredients:
Day before making
1 ½ cup Buckwheat Flour
1 ½ teaspoon instant yeast
1 ½ teaspoon sugar
1 ½ cup warm Water
- Mix everything in a plastic container and set aside with lid closed for overnight fermentation in Refrigerator.
On the Day of Making Crepe
1 cup warm milk ( I used 2 %)
⅓ cup Sour Cream ( I used full fat)
1 ¼ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoon Ghee/ Melted butter
2 egg yolk
2 egg white
½ teaspoon sugar
- Heat milk in microwave safe bowl for 1 minute add sour cream, 1 tablespoon of ghee and salt. and mix everything to combine well and set aside
- Take out the dough of buckwheat flour and yeast from the refrigerator and set aside for about 1 hour to bring it to room temperature.
- In the meantime beat the egg white with ½ teaspoon sugar to stiff peak and set aside.
- Add egg yolk, sour cream-milk-salt-ghee mixture to fermented buckwheat flour and mix well.
- Gradually fold in the egg white and mix everything to form loose pancake batter.
- Heat a skillet in the stove add a drop of ghee brush well to spread everywhere. To this add ¼ cup of batter and by swirling the pan get batter to spread it into a round crepe.
- Cook for about 1 minute on side and flip and cook the other side for another minute.
- Continue to make crepe until you finish the entire batter.
- Serve warm with maple syrup, Sour Cream and apple. I think maple syrup is best.
Variations:
- If you want you can add sour cream along with yeast.
I am linking this healthy crepe/pancake to Hearth and Soul Blog hop Hosted here.
This is Swathi ( Dr. Ambujom Saraswathy Ph.D) from Zesty South Indian Kitchen who loves to explore cuisines from all over the world. Whenever possible I try to to give an Indian touch to several of the world cuisine, and has weakness for freshly baked bread. All the recipes you see here are created by me and approved after taste-test by my family.
Mich PieceofCake says
Love how healthy and tasty these pancakes are with the apple filling.
Gajus kitchen says
Looks super good and healthy
Reeni Pisano says
Your yeasted pancakes look wonderful Swathi! I don't know if I ever had buckwheat before - thanks for telling us about it!
Saraswathi Tharagaram says
Healthy crepes, looks so good dear..
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Veena Theagarajan says
healthy and yummy dosa
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Kaveri Venkatesh says
Very healthy pancakes Swathi!..Have not cooked with buckwheat flour but would love to...Let me see if I can lay my hands on it
Amrita Vishal says
Such a healthy and yummy start to a day...perfect!!
Shailaja Reddy says
Healthy & delicious pancake.
Marus says
Looks healthy breakfast.A very informative post.
Good day
Treatntrick Treat and Trick says
I never tried buckwheat before, yours looks awesome!
DivyaGCP says
Have never tried Buckwheat before.. I think its time to give it a try.. Pancakes look so healthy and delicious..
Nalini's Kitchen says
Very informative and the crepe looks so delicious,healthy and tempting...
Sanoli Ghosh says
Excellent post Swathi. Very new to me. Serving with mapple syrup, apple and sour cream.........just wonderful dear.
today's recipe:
http://sanolisrecipies.blogspot.in/2012/12/fish-cake.html
PT says
very healthy and nice clicks as usual 🙂
Jemini says
wonderful and lovely breakfast.love the colour of the crepe.
Navaneetham Krishnan says
I am sure on buckwheat but I have a packet of atta flour. My other half loves and enjoyed pancakes made from atta flour. He finds them healthy and I must try your recipe during the weekend for his night meal. Lovely and am excited that you shared such a recipe.
Thanks Swathi for your comforting words. I am trying to move on but the flashbacks of the robbery keep popping in mind from time to time.
Vijayalakshmi Dharmaraj says
its interesting and well explained akka...
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Shabbu says
Healthy and yummy recipe..
Guru Uru says
Such thin and healthy crepes 🙂
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Nandini says
The crepe looks crispy and delicious!
kausers kitchen says
Wonderful recipe dear...awesome clicks.
Have a lovely week 🙂
Vimitha Anand says
Very healthy breakfast dear. U rock...
Rebecca Subbiah says
these look great I had them in France West Virginia is pretty for sure hope you get your lights up hugs
Rumana Ambrin says
This is such a wonderful post and very helpful too.. the click is simply awesome..
Rani's gourmet says
looks yummy..luv that cute spoon and fork 🙂
Sangeetha Priya says
Wonderful n very healthy pancakes, thks for sharing, bookmarking...
Beena.stephy says
Healthy dish. bookmarked
Nivedhanams Sowmya says
a very informative post!!! love the beautiful spoon and fork - so decorative!!!
Sowmya
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Suja Manoj says
Looks healthy breakfast,never tried this before..bookmarked.
Priya says
Recently i got a packet of buckwheat flour, thanks for sharing these crepes, will definitely give a try.
Julie says
haven't used buck wheat yet,this looks very interesting & healthy breakfast dear:)
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Vrinda says
Nice informative post Swathi.Looks super yumm...
Jay says
just wonderful...
Tasty Appetite
divya says
looks so yummy & nice clicks!