Cardamom and Saffron Pancake

This pancake is originally from the Arabian Gulf area, and is called ‘Chebab”. I used to have this pancake for breakfast often when I was a little kid, I love to top it with melted butter, sugar, jam, honey, or date syrup. Other times I go easy on my sweet tooth and use lightly salted cheese. The aroma of cardamom and saffron early morning, used to pull me away from playing and even from my bed.In the past, people used dates instead of sugar in this recipe. Dates were soaked in hot water to soften and then used for making this pancake. However, in this recipe instead of dates, I have used sugar, since I’m not sure if soft dark dates are available to all.

The other difference in this pancake is using dry yeast instead of baking powder, and letting the batter double in size, also when cooking it, you’ll see much more bubbles than you see in normal pancakes, and lastly these pancakes weigh heavier than your usual pancakes.

I hope you try it!

1 1/2 cup all purpose flour

2 tablespoon milk powder

2 1/2 tablespoons sugar

1 egg

Pinch salt

1 teaspoon dry active yeast

1 1/2 cup warm water

1/4  teaspoon cardamom powder
Pinch of saffron

– In a bowl sift the flour with salt and keep aside.

– Add the dry yeast to the flour mixture.

– In a different bowl, add the egg, dry yeast, sugar, and milk powder.
– Beat until the sugar is dissolved, then add 1 1/2 cup warm water, mixed with saffron and cardamom, and beat well.

– Add the flour to the wet ingredients and whisk. The batter should look bit thicker than crepe batter, and thinner than normal pancake batter.

– When well combined cover and let it rest in warm place until the batter forms bubbles, may take 40 minutes.

–  Heat your frying pan to medium heat, if not using a nonstick pan add 1/2 teaspoon butter to the pan.

– Pour 1/4 cup of the batter onto the hot greased frying pan.

– Reduce Heat and wait until the surface of the pancake is full of holes, then flip the pancake and let it cook until golden brown patches appear.

– Brush the pancake with butter while still warm, this will keep it moist for long time.