It doesn't happen often, but we've recently had occasion to respectfully disagree with Adam Liaw.
"I have a bone to pick with the English language," he says on The Cook Up with Adam Liaw. "Everything's a pancake... When it comes to Asian food, it's, oh, that's a Vietnamese pancake, oh, that's a Korean pancake, that's a Japanese pancake. And there's completely different foods, but everything's just a pancake if it's flat."
Well... actually Adam, that sounds about right. It's called a savoury pancake because that's shorthand for flat, easy, quick and breakfast-for-dinner. Hence why most cultures have some form of savoury pancake on high rotation (they can call it whatever they like, we know what it is). If it starts with a batter and finishes flat, it can wear the savoury pancake mantle with pride. Everything in between is fair game.
Of course, Adam gets it, really. "I am joking about it because sometimes it is easier just to explain something to someone who doesn't know what bánh xèo means or what jeon means, just to say,well, it's a savoury pancake," he explains. "Then you know what it is. It is communicative and that's what language should be."
That's what food should be too, right? Enter: the savoury pancake.
We'd better start with the Vietnamese street food that created all the fuss in the first place. To make bánh xèo a light rice flour batter is poured over fried pork belly and prawns. Add a good soak of nước chấm and you're practically walking the streets of Ho Chi Minh City.
The galette Bretonne is a buckwheat pancake wrapped around a savoury filling. This is not to be confused with other forms of galette, which are more tart than pancake. Make your pancake, add your fillings (ham and egg is always a good idea, pop some cheese in there too), fold and you're good to go.
The Japanese savoury cabbage pancake is probably one of the most delicious bites you'll ever eat. There's a whole heap of umami packed flat and plenty of condiments for extra oomph.
Keep your pancakes small and top them with smoked salmon or roast beef for a super simple dinner party starter. In fact, go to town with your savoury toppings because blinis can handle anything. They're traditionally made with buckwheat flour, so they score bonus healthy eating points too.
If you're picking up breakfast on the streets of China, most likely you are picking up jian bing. While the popular street food originated in the Shandong province, vendors are now found in every metropolitan neighbourhood across the country. The reason for its popularity might be the hidden crunch inside...
Frico
Italy's pancake saviour is not pizza (Adam would shudder if it were), but . In the Friuli-Venezia region, frico is often served in the late afternoon with a glass of wine. Down the road in Venice, bars sometimes serve cheesy, crispy frico as part of cicchetti. Sounds like a plan to us!
Dosa or thosai are thin pancakes made all over Southern India using a fermented rice and lentil batter. The texture is crispy on the outside but soft on the inside, similar to a French crêpe, but probably crispier and softer. They are seriously addictive, whatever you choose to stuff them with.
Meet the Indian savoury pancake that will quickly have you in its thrall, besan ka puda. This one is made from chickpea flour (besan) with added vegetables like zucchini, chilli and spinach. You can actually add any finely chopped or grated vegetables you like, which makes besan ka puda as versatile as it is tasty.
There are quite a few flatbreads that fall under the savoury pancake banner, but we're definitely claiming roti canai. It's got all the hallmarks (easy, quick, flat) and comes into its own when stuffed before cooking. You can add parantha and malawach to the bread-as-pancake list too.
The secret to the lightest, airiest crêpes is to get yourself a decent crepe pan. Yep, this is one time you can blame your tools if things don't go well. Once you've got the pan, it's just a matter of giving your batter plenty of rest in the fridge then going very gently on your pour. After that, we all know the best crepes are filled with savoury goodies like this spinach, ham and blue cheese stack.
A cousin to dosa (see above) and idli, uttapam uses the same fermented batter but is thicker and fluffier than either. This means its the perfect base for plenty of savoury toppings. Try onion, tomato, egg or capsicum. Or all of the above!
As you've probably noticed, savoury pancakes are versatile, adaptable and easy-as. So go ahead and make them however you fancy, like Joachim Borenius' Scandinavian oven-baked version. A dish he's been making since he was a kid.
SBS Food is a 24/7 foodie channel for all Australians, with a focus on simple, authentic and everyday food inspiration from cultures everywhere. NSW stream only. Read more about SBS Food
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