Buttermilk pancakes with makrut lime maple syrup

Ingredients

• 225 g (1½ cups) plain flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 55 g (¼ cup) caster sugar
• 600 ml buttermilk
• 3 eggs, separated
• 1 lime, zested
• 50 g melted and cooled butter, plus 1 tsp extra butter, to cook
• 1 coconut, juice removed, flesh shaved using a vegetable peeler

Makrut lime maple syrup

• 250 ml (1 cup) maple syrup
• 8 makrut lime leaves (see Note)

Steeping time 30 minutes

Instructions

To make makrut lime maple syrup, place maple syrup in a pan with lime leaves over medium-low heat. Bring to a simmer then remove from heat and set aside to steep for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 120°C. Sift flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and sugar together with a pinch of salt. Combine buttermilk and egg yolks in a bowl with lime zest and melted butter. Set aside.

Whisk egg whites to soft peaks in a clean bowl. Combine buttermilk mixture with dry ingredients, then fold in egg whites in 2 batches. Heat 1 tsp butter in a frying pan over medium-low heat. Add ¼ cup batter to pan and cook for 45 seconds on each side or until golden. Keep warm in oven and repeat with remaining batter to make 16 pancakes.

Drizzle pancakes with lime maple syrup and serve scattered with shaved coconut.

Note

• makrut lime leaves are available from greengrocers and Asian food shops.

Photography Chris Chen

As seen in Feast magazine, February 2014, Issue 28.