Have you ever made buckwheat pancakes? I made them recently for the first time, and now I’m hooked! I must thank my Instagram friends for this new culinary discovery. Ever since I started participating in Instagram challenges (which involve several participants creating dishes on a given theme), I have learned so much, and my cooking repertoire has diversified tremendously.
Such was the case with these buckwheat pancakes, which I made for a recent IG challenge on the theme “Indian cuisine from Himachal Pradesh.” While doing the research for this challenge, I started fantasizing about traveling again, perhaps even to Himachal Pradesh, a gorgeous Indian state from the Western Himalayas. One can dream, right? 🙂
One thing I learned about Himachal Pradesh is that the weather can be very cold in the North, hence the locals’ appetite for minimally processed carb-laden dishes, featuring wholesome grains from locally grown crops (how wonderful!). Knowing myself and my sweet tooth (lol), I started looking for sweet recipes, and came across the recipe for Aktori aka buckwheat pancakes, Himachal Pradesh-style. Out of all the recipes I have found, the one featured on this YouTube channel caught my attention because the instructions were very clear, the preparation was explained well, and the resulting pancakes looked fluffy and absolutely stunning. Thank you so much for the recipe, Sandy 🙂
Freshly milled buckwheat and whole wheat flours, milk, water, baking soda, a bit of sugar, a sprinkle of salt – such charming, delicious simplicity!
I decided to make these vegan and I used oat milk instead of cow’s milk. Perhaps this is why my batter turned out very thick, and I had to thin it down considerably by adding extra water. I made the pancakes on the stove (I sure wish I could have made them over a rustic fire, like the women from Himachal Pradesh!) and I served them as locals would, with honey, sliced apples, and nuts, all of which are very popular ingredients in the area. As a fun fact, apples are Himachal’s most important cash crop!
No matter the time of day you have these pancakes, for breakfast or dessert, they are incredibly delicious and satisfying. The wholesomeness of the fresh flour mix elevates these pancakes, while their whole grain aroma permeates the kitchen with rustic sensory delight. I invite you to make this recipe, a staple in Himachali cuisine. I am only getting started, and I can’t wait to learn more about this region steeped in delicious traditions 🙂
Buckwheat pancakes from Himachal Pradesh
Ingredients
- 1 cup buckwheat flour
- 1 cup wholewheat flour
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 cup water + more, if necessary
- 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 3 tbsp sugar
- 1/3 cup oil or ghee for frying (+ more if necessary)
- Pinch of salt
- Honey, sliced apples, chopped nuts and/or ghee (optional)
Instructions
- Combine all of the ingredients except the oil/ghee in a large mixing bowl, and mix with a spoon or spatula until well combined. Add more water, if necessary. The batter must have a yogurt-like consistency.
- Heat 1/2 tbsp oil in a frying pan. Add about 1/4 cup batter and cook over low flame until golden brown, turning the pancake once during cooking. Take the pancakes from the pan as they cook and place on a big serving plate lined with paper towel to absorb the excess oil. Repeat until all the batter has been used, adding oil to the pan from time to time.
- Serve the pancakes warm, topped with honey, sliced apples, chopped nuts and/or ghee.
- Enjoy!
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