We hope you enjoyed reading about different pancake variations in our previous article, and as promised, we are introducing you to more pancake variations from all over the world.
When you hear the word pancake you probably think of a stack of hot, fluffy flapjacks, usually covered in maple syrup, fresh berries or some other familiar topping. But what does a pancake look like in some European or Asian country? Keep on reading, we are here to present you pancakes around the world and we are sure you’ll be surprised!
Msemen
Msemen is a Moroccan variation of pancake. The dough is prepared from semolina and yeast and it’s stretched extremely thin. This type of pancake is coated with butter or a filling like spiced ground meat or honey. The dough is then folded repeatedly until it becomes a thin strip.
Farinata
Farinata is a savory Italian pancake. This delicious pancake is crisp on the outside and moist and smooth on the inside. It’s made of nutty chickpea flour, olive oil and water mixed together and baked in a pan.
Dosa
When in South Asia, you will find a savory pancake that resembles a crepe, made from a fermented batter of soaked rice and urad dal. It’s called dosa and they can be served plain, but are usually eaten with a filling, like spiced potatoes, cooked vegetables or cheese.
Injera
Injera is a spongy pancake and it’s the foundation of most meals in Ethiopia and Eritrea. This pancake variation is made of nutty-sweet teff flour, but it has a sour flavor which it gets from the fermentation period which lasts several days.
Roti
Also known by the name Indian flatbread, Roti is cooked on a griddle until the pale dough is lightly speckled.
Martabak
This is a street-food classic in Thailand, Indonesia, and India. The martabak dough is stretched very thin and fried in a pan on both sides, until it bubbles and turns golden. Sometimes it’s fried in aromatic coconut oil. When fried, it’s plastered with a spiced, usually meat-based filling and folded into a rectangular bundle. It can be sweet or savory.
Serabi
Serabi are Indonesian pancakes made of rice flour and coconut. They are fried in an earthenware pan over a charcoal fire. Serabi can be sweet, when they are usually topped with sprinkles or chocolate chips and they can be savory, topped with cheese or meat.
Hotteok
This is Korean street food made from a sugary, yeasty wheat-based dough that’s left to rise like bread. Hotteok can be stuffed with fillings like syrup, caramel or honey, but you’ll also find nuts and spices in them. These pancakes are then pressed flat and griddled for a molten filling and a tender dough, well toasted on each side.
Okonomiyaki
Okonomiyaki is a Japanese pancake. The batter is made of nagaimo, a root vegetable that yields especially moist, creamy cakes. When cooked, these pancakes are drizzled with Japanese mayonnaise and sweet-and-savory okonomi (or tonkatsu) sauce and topped with nori flakes and pickled ginger.
We hope you enjoyed reading about pancake variations, and we certainly hope you’ll enjoy eating one of the most popular desserts in the world when you come to Chicago Waffles. We’re expecting you at one of our locations!
