Party-perfect pancakes: A twist on Indonesian martabak
Pancakes are always a splendid choice for a snack. They are easy to prepare and can be made in various ways. Adding hearty ingredients can quickly turn them into a full-fledged lunch dish. This time, I'm creating party pancakes using rice noodles inspired by Indonesian Martabak pancakes. I'll be serving them with a homemade sweet and sour sauce. It's bound to be a hit.
Martabak pancakes can be made with various noodles, but they're best prepared with thin strands. They can be made with wheat noodles – similar to those served with chicken soup. However, they become more intriguing when made with soy or rice noodles, acquiring an oriental style and becoming lighter and crunchier.
Noodle pancakes – two frying options
You can shape small or large pancakes from the batter, then cut them into four parts. For small ones, spoon the batter onto a sizzling pan with heated oil. For large ones, cook them like classic crepes, spreading a slightly larger portion of batter over the entire pan. Martabak pancakes can also be baked in the oven—they will be much less calorific but also less crispy.
Homemade sweet and sour sauce
I enjoy the sweet and sour sauce. Unfortunately, store-bought versions often lack quality ingredients. Therefore, I prepare a homemade version when I fancy a true Asian-style feast or want to surprise friends with something special.
In the pan, I sauté vegetables sliced into tiny and thin strips. Then, I add pieces of real pineapple, tomato purée, and date syrup. Rice noodle pancakes dipped in such a sauce provide an extraordinary culinary pleasure.
Recipe for rice noodle pancakes
Add finely chopped chilli pepper to the pancake batter if you prefer spicier flavours.
Ingredients:
- 100 grams of cooked rice noodles,
- 1 green onion,
- 1 egg,
- 50 grams of grated yellow cheese,
- salt, pepper to taste,
- oil for frying.
Instructions:
- Finely chop the green onion along with the chives.
- Mix with the egg, salt, and pepper.
- Add the cooked and cooled noodles – if the strands are long, you can cut them with a knife beforehand to make it easier to form smaller pancakes.
- Incorporate the grated yellow cheese.
- Combine all ingredients thoroughly and fry in a pan with heated oil until golden on both sides.
