Rhubarb, orange and ginger pancakes, with kefir

I’m never going to stop eating the traditional lemon and sugar pancakes of my childhood. I don’t expect you to change from your family favourites either, on the day itself. But… I love pancakes so much and ensure I make lots of batter, so I can extend pancake day into days! Do the same, and you can experiment with other fillings too, with a chance to get some extra nutrients into the mix.

I usually use buckwheat flour in my pancake batter, I have done for years; its flavour is great and it has other nutritional benefits. I usually use Doves Farm organic buckwheat flour. Sometimes I might make wholemeal or spelt versions, but I do try and keep the flour as unrefined as possible.

Forced rhubarb from the famous Yorkshire rhubarb triangle is around at the moment; packed with fibre, it supports healthy digestion and helps regulate blood sugar levels. It's also a great source of vitamin K, essential for bone health and proper blood clotting, with vitamin C for our immune system and collagen production promoting qualities, for healthy skin. Antioxidants like anthocyanins and lycopene help fight inflammation and protect against oxidative stress. Despite its tart flavour, its natural acidity enhances the absorption of minerals like calcium, making it a surprisingly beneficial addition to your diet. I’ve served it with kefir for a probiotic boost.

THE SECRET INGREDIENT:
Buckwheat flour: Buckwheat flour can elevate your pancake recipe both in flavour and health benefits. Despite its name, buckwheat is naturally gluten-free and packed with fibre, protein, and essential minerals like magnesium and iron, making it a fantastic alternative to traditional flour. Its slightly nutty taste adds depth to your pancakes while providing a slow-release energy boost, keeping you full and satisfied longer. Buckwheat is also rich in anti-inflammatory antioxidants, particularly rutin.

Serves: 2 (this is the rhubarb serving really, as the pancake batter makes loads. You can halve that part of the recipe if you like, but I never think there’s much point in making less, as they keep so well).

Ingredients

For the pancakes:

150g buckwheat flour

A pinch of salt

2 eggs

450ml milk (whole or semi-skimmed are best, or use your favourite non-dairy milk, if you prefer)

3 tbsp cold water

A little butter, ghee or oil for greasing the pan

For the rhubarb:

200g rhubarb stalks, chopped into 4-5cm pieces

1 tbsp maple syrup or honey - if you have a sweet tooth, you might want a little more

1/2 tsp ginger, peeled and finely grated weight - you can add a little more if you like a little more gingery warmth

Finely grated zest and juice from 1/2 an orange

1 tbsp water

To serve:

Plain kefir yoghurt

A little extra orange zest (optional)

Method:

To make the pancakes, put the flour and a pinch of salt in a large bowl. Add the eggs and about 3-4 tbsp of the milk, then whisk until a smooth, thick paste is formed (this helps to avoid lumpy pancake batter). Then whisk in the remaining milk and cold water (the cold water is a Delia Smith tip from memory, supposedly it helps keep the batter light. You can used more milk if preferred, but I figure it’s an extra bit of milk you’ve then saved for a cuppa after making the pancakes!). Set aside (in the fridge if you are making them a little ahead of time).

When you’re ready to cook them, if you’re serving them immediately and want to keep them all warm together, put your oven on a low heat. Give the batter a little whisk.

Use a little pastry brush or kitchen paper dipped in little melted butter, ghee or oil to lightly grease your pan; keep this really as scant as you can, just the smallest amount you can get away with.

Ladle in just enough of the batter to coat the pan, rolling the pan around to spread the batter out nice and thinly. Fry on a medium heat for about 1½-2 minutes, until small bubbles appear, the underneath is turning golden and the pancake feels like it’s going to be easy to lift and flip over (test carefully with a spatula by lifting a little of the edge). Carefully turn or flip it (there’s really no need to be showing off here, just do what feels comfortable!), then cook for a further 1 minute or so, until golden on both sides. Transfer to a plate, cover with baking parchment and repeat until you have used all the batter. Keep them warm in the oven as you go along, if you need to.

To make the rhubarb filling, put the rhubarb, maple syrup or honey, ginger, orange zest and juice plus the water in a frying pan, one wide enough to keep the rhubarb in a single layer. Cover with a lid or a circle of baking parchment (scrumple it up and then unfold it to place on top; this makes it so much easier to use). Cook very gently until the rhubarb is just tender, testing it with a sharp knife at intervals. This will depend on the thickness of the rhubarb, but for thin, forced rhubarb stalks like I used, it was about 7 minutes.

Let it cool slightly, (you can add a little more maple or honey if you really want to!) then spoon over your pancakes with a good dollop of kefir and more orange zest to taste, if you like.

Notes:

What pan you use can affect how your pancakes cook, and more importantly, make them easier to flip without tearing or sticking to the pan. As a nutritional therapist, I know the importance of avoiding endocrine disrupting chemicals (they are within most non-stick pans and can be transferred to your food), so tend to avoid traditional non-stick pans in favour of a well-seasoned, small cast iron pan now. About 20-21cm in diameter is an ideal size, but if you have a larger pan, add a little batter, avoiding be tempted to take the batter all the way to the edges of the pan. If your pancakes do break up (the first one often has to be sacrificed to the pancake chef’s first tasting!) don’t worry about it, just serve them anyway… the fillings will cover it up!

You can make extra pancakes (you’ll have plenty of batter to do this if you make the whole amount) and chill or freeze them between layers of baking parchment. Gently reheat in an oven to serve.

I use 1 tbsp of maple syrup… I find the less sugary stuff I use, the more my body has adapted to using less, and I also really like quite tart things anyway. If you have a slightly sweeter tooth, then by all means add a little more to your taste.

Don’t be alarmed by the lack of liquid in the rhubarb pan at the start. If you keep the heat low, the rhubarb softens and releases a little liquid to add to the orange juice, to make a little syrup.