← Nouns Cooking · Japanese

Ingredients

• 2 egg yolks
• 2 tbsp Milk
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 30 g plain or cake flour
• ½ tsp Baking powder
• 3 egg whites, cold
• ½ tsp lemon juice
• 30 g caster sugar
• 1 tsp neutral oil, for the pan
• 1 tbsp water, for steaming
• 20 g butter, to serve (optional)
• 3 tbsp Maple syrup (optional)
• 1 handful Mixed berries (optional)

Method

1. Whisk the yolks, milk and vanilla, then sift in the flour and baking powder and whisk until smooth.
2. In a clean, grease-free bowl, whisk the whites with the lemon juice until foamy. Add the sugar in three goes and keep whisking to firm, glossy peaks that hold a little curl at the tip.
3. Fold a third of the meringue into the yolk mix to loosen it, then gently fold in the rest in two goes, keeping as much air as you can.
4. Heat a large non-stick pan over the lowest heat and wipe it with oil. Pile the batter into 4 tall mounds, using about 3 big spoonfuls each. Drip a few drops of water into the empty spaces in the pan, cover and cook for 6–7 min.
5. Top each pancake with another small spoonful of batter, then gently flip with a wide spatula. Add a few more drops of water, cover and cook for 5–6 min, until set, springy and golden underneath.
6. Serve at once with butter, maple syrup and berries; they start to sink within minutes.

Tips

• Low heat and a lid are the secret: the steam sets the inside before the outside burns.
• Contains egg, wheat and dairy. The centre stays soft, so use fresh eggs.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

Just One Cookbook Chopstick Chronicles