MY father has a banana grove that produces a large harvest several times a year.
When my mother calls to say there are bananas to take home, it usually means it is time to make banana pancakes.
This is one of those breakfasts that manage to be both comforting and sensible.
It is filling without leaving you sluggish, nourishing without trying too hard, and forgiving enough to suit bleary-eyed mornings.
Banana pancakes also work well after a late night, particularly following New Year’s Eve, when something warm and sustaining is required.
Part of its appeal lies in its practicality.
The batter can be mixed ahead of time and kept chilled, ready to be ladled into a hot pan at short notice.
Easy pancake recipe with juicy, ripe bananas. — Photos: LEONG WAI YEE/The Star
The cooked pancakes also freeze remarkably well.
Just a few minutes in the toaster and they emerge warm and ready to eat.
The key to good banana pancakes is not to overmix the batter.
The wet ingredients should be combined first, followed by a gentle folding in of the dry ingredients.
Small lumps are expected and should be left alone.
Allowing the batter to rest gives the flour time to hydrate, producing a softer texture.
As the pancakes cook, they fill the kitchen with an inviting aroma.
A tiny amount of cinnamon lifts it without being too assertive.
My wife, who insists she dislikes cinnamon, asked for a second helping. I took that as a quiet victory.
There is no added sugar in the batter, as ripe bananas provide all the sweetness required.
That said, a drizzle of maple syrup or honey at the table certainly does not hurt.
Although a non-stick pan doesn’t need to be greased, I brush it with butter to add a nutty flavour and aid browning.
And I can never resist a little extra pat of butter on the finished pancakes that melts deliciously into the syrup and banana slices.
You can also enjoy it the way my daughter prefers it with a hazelnut spread in between.
The pancakes are best made with berangan or Cavendish bananas.
Banana pancakes
Ingredients
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
½ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp salt
1 cup banana, mashed
1 large egg
1 cup milk
20g butter, melted for frying
Pats of butter for serving
2 bananas, sliced for serving
Maple syrup or honey for serving
Directions
Sift together flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.
Mash bananas in a mixing bowl.
Beat in the egg until blended, then whisk in the milk.
Gently fold in dry ingredients until just combined with visible streaks of flour.
Ignore the small lumps and do not overmix, but rest the batter to allow the flour to fully hydrate.
Brush a non-stick pan with melted butter and ladle in the batter.
Fry until pancakes puff up and bubbles pop, then flip.
Fry until the pancake puffs up and most of the bubbles have popped.
When the underside is lightly golden, flip over and cook until evenly done.
Stack and serve hot with a pat of butter, banana slices and maple syrup.
