10.2.2020
VEGETABLE PANCAKE served with Tender Mock Steak and French Fries
Gluten and Lactose-Free
Serves 2 – 4
This is a recipe that you can get away with using whatever vegetables you want, one or a mix.
I originally found this recipe in a Korean food blog and was intrigued. Now I can’t find that blog. Since then, I have made many versions of this recipe. I will give you the basic recipe plus what I made today. We like it with the soy dipping sauce, or any kind of dressing or gravy and like to serve it as a side for any sort of meat or seafood dish.
Generally, I like to julienne the vegetables, but they can be cut in cubes too or make a very rough chop with your food processor. Whatever method you decide you should cut the vegetables all in the same size to ensure even cooking.
Almost everything about this recipe is a favorite thing about this pancake; it is colorful, you can use anything you want as whatever combination of vegetables you use ends up delicious, if you have some cooked meat or seafood around in your refrigerator you can add that to the pancake to make a brunch, lunch or dinner out of it, or merely use it as a vegetarian meal.
Basically, you need about 4 to 5 c of julienned or chopped vegetables, about 1 to 1 ½ c of batter, and a dipping sauce.
I used an 8” skillet as I find that easier to invert stuff on to a plate from an 8” skillet than a larger one. Use whatever size you have and are comfortable with.
Today I planned to make some Tender Mock Steaks. Some frozen Ore Ida shoestring fries that I will cook in the air fryer and this vegetable pancake.
Instead of prepping 4 cups of vegetables, I decided to use a 4-cup bag of chopped salad along with a few other things.
Let's get the fixings prepped:
Vegetables*
Chopped salad – 4 c, only use a mix that can be cooked not lettuces.
Carrot sticks – ½ c
Scallions – ½ c, cut in ½” rounds
Batter
Gluten free all-purpose flour – 1 c
Kosher salt – 1 ½ t
Baking soda - ¼ t
Baking powder – 1 t
Water – 1 c
Apple cider vinegar – 1 t
Egg – 1
Vegetable oil – 4 T for cooking
Dipping sauce; whisk and set aside until ready to use
Soy sauce – 2 T
Rice vinegar – 1 T
Crushed red pepper – ½ t
Brown sugar – 2 t
Toasted sesame oil – 2 t
Garnish
Parsley, scallion, minced red pepper
Let’s get cooking:
Mix all the vegetable in a bowl and set aside.
In another bowl whisk the batter ingredients well, then mix in with the vegetables. Make sure all the vegetables are mixed in well with the batter as dry pockets of batter is not good.
Heat an 8” skillet spray with cook spray and add 1 T of oil and swirl around including about 1” up the sides. Pour ½ of the batter into the hot skillet, turn down the heat to medium low, pat down the top to smooth it as well as pack the vegetables down and cook for 5 minutes.
While the pancake is cooking, slide a spatula around the sides to dislodge any stuck areas and shake the pan to make sure that the pancake will flop onto a plate when it is time to invert it.
Slide the pancake upside down back into the skillet. If needed, use more cook spray on the skillet before sliding the pancake back into the skillet. Pour about 2 t of oil around the sides of the skillet, lift the sides of the pancake in several areas to make sure the oil goes to the bottom of the skillet then pat down the pancake and go on to cook that side. Cook on medium high for 4 minutes. If the pancake is not completely done slide it onto a plate, then return the pancake back into the skillet and cook 1 more minute.
Remove the pancake and place it in the oven until the other ½ of the batter is cooked.
Cut each pancake in 4 or 6, garnish with some parsley or diced red bell and scallion as I did today.
As I said I had cooked a Tender Mock Steak to go with the pancake.
Tender mock steak – 12 oz
Baking soda – 1 t + 1t water mixed to brush on the steak.
Kosher salt – ½ t
Black pepper – ¼ t
Olive oil – 2 t
Mix the salt, pepper and olive oil and brush on both sides of the baking soda bushed steaks.
Heat a cast iron skillet on high and cook the steaks for 3 to 4 minutes per side, remove from skillet, cover with foil and let rest.
While the steak was cooking prep the sauce.
Mushrooms – sliced, 1 c
Onion – diced, 1 c
Broth or water – 1 c
Cornstarch – 2 t
Broth or water – 2 t, mix together to make a slurry
Olive oil – 1 t
Cook the mushrooms and onions in the skillet you cooked the steak in adding 1 t olive oil if needed, on medium heat. When the onions are translucent, add the broth and the slurry and cook through. Turn off the heat.
Slice the meat diagonally against the grain and add to the mushroom mixture in the skillet and stir to coat the meat.
Serve with the pancakes and the French Fries.
This is easy cooking and yummy eating.
* Everything should be cut in 2” long julienne
Scallions - ¾ c
Cabbage – ¾ c
Zucchini – ¾ c
Carrot – ¾ c
Onion – ¾ c, cut vertically
Broccoli – ¾ c, broken into small florets
Jalapeno – 1 T, seeded and minced, according to taste
I like to make the pancake as colorful as I can!
Enjoy!