Freshly cooked pumpkin pancakes, with a golden and crispy exterior, and a soft and sweet interior. I can never resist picking one up and taking a bite, with its perfect combination of a crunchy outer layer and a tender inner texture, filling my mouth with the delightful taste of pumpkin. That delicious flavor is something I can never forget even until now.
Ingredients for pumpkin pancakes
| Pumpkin | 300g |
| Flour | 200g |
| Yeast | 3g |
| Edible oil | 10g |
| Salt | 2g |
| Five spice powder | 1g |
| Sesame oil | 2g |
| Chicken powder | 1g |
| Edible oil | 30g |
Steps:
1.Prepare a small piece of tender pumpkin. Remove the pumpkin seeds and fibers, mainly to eliminate excess moisture and some fibers in the pumpkin, resulting in a smoother texture. No need to peel. Wash it thoroughly and cut it directly. First, slice it thinly, then cut it into thin strips, and finally into pumpkin cubes. This step requires patience and care, ensuring that each piece of pumpkin is evenly sized and has a regular shape.
2.Take 200 grams of all-purpose flour, add 3 grams of yeast, and pour in 30-degree warm water while stirring. Stir until it forms a crumbly texture, preventing the dough from becoming too hard or too thin. Stir until there is no dry flour in the bowl, then add 10 grams of cooking oil. Adding cooking oil prevents the dough from sticking and adds a crispy texture. Knead the crumbly mixture into a dough, cover it with a lid, and let it ferment for two hours.
3.When the dough is almost fermented, we start seasoning the pumpkin cubes. Firstly, add 2 grams of salt to enhance the savory taste of the pumpkin cubes and improve the overall flavor. Then, add 1 gram of five-spice powder to give the pumpkin cubes a rich aroma. Next, add 2 grams of sesame oil and 1 gram of chicken powder to enhance the texture of the pumpkin cubes and add a delicious taste. Finally, thoroughly mix the seasoning with the pumpkin cubes using a blender or chopsticks, ensuring that each piece of pumpkin absorbs the flavors evenly.
4.After two hours, take out the fermented dough and knead it on a cutting board. By pressing and squeezing the dough, knead it until smooth and shape it into a round ball. Then, use a rolling pin to roll it out into a thin sheet. Trim the edges to make them neat and tidy. Spoon the pumpkin filling onto the dough, leaving a small border, and fold the dough over the filling. Add a few spoonfuls of pumpkin filling from the other side as well. Fold the edges from both sides towards the center, encasing the remaining filling.
5.Once folded, use a knife to cut it into 3 cm sections. This step is crucial as it determines the shape of the pancakes and also affects their texture and cooking time. The cut sections should be evenly sized and have a regular shape, ensuring even heat distribution and a crispy texture during cooking.
6.Preheat an electric griddle and brush it with cooking oil. Place the pumpkin pancakes on the griddle and start cooking. Flip them over after one side turns golden brown, and continue flipping them a few more times, ensuring they are cooked thoroughly, even in the middle. If there are any uncooked areas on the sides, stand the pancakes upright to heat them. Cook until all four sides are golden brown, then remove them and serve on a plate.
Tips
1.The choice of pumpkin is crucial. Opt for a variety with a smooth texture and sweet taste, such as butternut squash or kabocha squash. This ensures that the pancakes have a delicate and sweet flavor.
2.Proper control of moisture in the dough is important. If there is too much water, the dough will be sticky and difficult to knead, resulting in pancakes that are hard. Therefore, it is recommended to gradually add water while judging the absorbency of the flour.
3.Temperature control is crucial when cooking the pancakes. Too high a temperature can cause the outer layer to burn while the inside remains undercooked, while too low a temperature can result in hard pancakes. It is advisable to preheat the skillet before cooking and use medium-low heat to cook the pancakes one by one.
On this autumn morning, let’s savor this delicious treat together and reminisce about those beautiful memories. Whether at home or away, pumpkin pancakes bring us warmth and comfort. Let’s take our time to enjoy this delight and make it a part of our lives.