Why do many Christians eat pancakes on Shrove Tuesday?
The tradition has to do with using up rich ingredients, such as milk and butter, before Ash Wednesday, the traditional beginning of the Lent fasting period that leads up to Easter.
While the tradition may have started with religious significance, in countries including Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom the day is celebrated by the secular community as Pancake Day, simply a day to enjoy pancakes.
In the United States, especially in the South, the day is known as Fat Tuesday or Mardi Gras, and feasting includes pancakes alongside other rich foods and decadent festivities.
Whether you are about to give up sweets for Lent, or you just want an excuse to eat pancakes, here are 13 recipes from around the world to try out this Shrove Tuesday - or anytime you feel like a pancake.
Korea - Kimchi pancake (kimchi jeon)
This popular Korean dish is a savoury pancake packing a lot of punch from the spicy kimchi.
As with most Korean recipes, you can tweak Kim Chi pancakes to your own tastes with the addition of other vegetables, meat or seafood. Source: Alan Benson
Malaysia - Coconut-palm sugar pancakes (kueh dadar)
These Malaysian pancakes get their bright green colour from pandan leaves and sit somewhere in between sweet and savoury.
It takes nearly an hour to cook these bright-green pancakes! Source: Alan Benson
Russia - Cottage cheese pancakes with sour cream and caramelised apples (syrniki)
Sweet and sour come together in these light and fluffy cheese pancakes which are traditionally made from quark, a fresh cow’s milk cheese. Cottage cheese is a close substitute and much more readily available in Australia, just don't forget the sour cream topping and jam or apple sauce.
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If you're looking to mix sweet and sour, this Russian recipe is perfect for breakfast (or dessert). Source: Chris Chen
Lebanon - Pancakes filled with walnuts and cream (katayef)
Think of these little Lebanese pancakes as sweet soft tacos, filled with cream - delicious!
The joy of katayef is something that's been inherited. Source: Alan Benson
Canada - Blueberry pancakes with bacon
Pancakes and bacon are a popular choice in North America, but the addition of blueberries in this recipe can help you convince yourself they are healthy. These are topped with the quintessential Canadian topping- maple syrup, of course!
Austria - Pancakes with stewed plums (Kaiserschmarrn)
This enormous, soft, sugary pancake is usually cut up and served to share, but if you really want to feast you can eat the whole thing yourself.
Kaiserschmarrn is a large pancake made to slice up and share. Source: Susanne Zimmel
Finland - Stinging nettle pancakes (nokkosletut)
These pancakes sound dangerous! Stringing nettles have to be picked and handled with gloves or tongs, otherwise, they will give you a nasty rash. But once they're boiled, they're completely harmless and similar to spinach in texture.
Source: Sini Ellen
Australia - Buckwheat crepes with mango, macadamia and kithul
These pancakes draw on Indian and Sri Lankan flavours, all tied together with Australian-grown macadamias. With mangoes in season, it's a perfect time to cook with this tropical fruit.
These crepes combine sweet and tangy flavours for an Australian twist on a classic recipe. Source: Sharyn Cairns
New Zealand - Yoghurt pikelets and kiwifruit jam
Kiwis are said to have invented the pikelet (miniature pancakes often served cold for morning teas and a primary school lunch box staple in Australia in New Zealand).
This recipe combines this iconic Kiwi creation with the iconic Kiwi fruit for a sweet treat that is perfect for sharing.
France - Crepes with chocolate sauce (crêpes sauce chocolat)
The French are the undisputed crepe champions, perfecting the art of these super-thin pancakes that can be served sweet or savoury. While many creperies use Nutella as a shortcut, you can make your own chocolate sauce for an authentic take on sweet crepes.
If you don't want to make chocolate sauce, many French recipes also recommend the use of Nutella. Source: SBS Food
North Africa - Semolina pancakes with honey butter and honeycomb (baghrir)
These ancient Berber pancakes are a popular snack and breakfast food in Algeria and also Morocco and you'll want to top this sweet stack with double the honey - butter and comb are a calling!
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Semolina-style with honey and honeycomb Source: Brett Stevens
Japan - Sweet chestnut cream pancakes (dorayaki)
Traditionally filled with azuki (red bean paste), these little pancake sandwiches (dorayaki) are a superb treat, especially with a cup of tea. Across Japan, regions have developed their variations of dorayaki, and increasingly modern tastes have resulted in fillings made with green tea, sesame, chocolate and cinnamon. So get filling... then eat!
Source: Chris Chen
Thailand - charcoal & cheese
Cheesy charcoal lava pancakes, sound like a mouthful and they can be, as these bites can be popped like a chip, so how many could you fit into your mouth? While they might look a little tricky to tackle, don't be shy from trying to cheese your centre - it's all about the ooze.
So stuff your pancake (and yourselves) with a cheesy sensation (or five).
Bonus - Pancake art
Just when you thought the odds were stacked against them, Harley Quinn & The Joker batter up to create delicious magic. With over 3.5 million YouTube views they are works of art and are almost too clever to eat... but not too clever to watch over and over again!
