Buckwheat Pancakes with Banana

Some breakfasts are elaborate.

This one is not.

Buckwheat flour, banana, soy milk, and a little fat are enough to make a pancake that is earthy, gently sweet, and substantial without becoming complicated.

The interesting part is not the number of ingredients.

It is proportion.

Ingredients

Makes 1 serving

• 1/2 cup buckwheat flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 banana, mashed
• about 1/2 cup soy milk, or enough to make a smooth batter
• 1 tsp ghee or coconut oil
• maple syrup or applesauce, for serving

Variation: Replace the banana with about 3/4 cup grated apple.

Method

Combine the buckwheat flour and baking powder in a bowl.

Add the mashed banana, then gradually stir in enough soy milk to create a smooth batter. It should pour easily but still have enough body to hold a small round in the pan.

Warm a frying pan over medium-high heat and add the ghee or coconut oil.

Spoon about 1/3 cup batter into the pan for each small pancake.

When bubbles begin to appear and the underside is set, turn the pancake and cook the second side until lightly browned.

Serve immediately with maple syrup or applesauce.

Why the recipe stays simple

Buckwheat has enough character that the batter does not need much decoration.

Banana softens the mixture and brings sweetness. The cooking fat adds richness. Baking powder provides lift.

Each ingredient has more than one job, which is why such a short list can still produce a complete breakfast.

Banana or apple?

The source offers grated apple as an alternative to banana.

That substitution changes more than flavor.

Mashed banana disappears into the batter, making the pancake softer and more uniform. Grated apple remains more textural and introduces small pieces of fruit throughout the pancake.

The decision therefore becomes a question of what kind of breakfast you want: smoother and rounder, or fresher and more textured.

Watch the batter, not only the measurement

The source gives approximately 1/2 cup soy milk, but also makes clear that the real objective is a workable batter.

That is the better way to read the recipe.

Flours absorb liquid differently, and mashed fruit changes from one piece to another. The measurement starts the process. The batter tells you when it is ready.

If it sits in a stiff mound, add a little more milk.

If it spreads like water, it has gone too far.

A recipe gives the proportion. Cooking finishes the judgment.

That is especially true with pancakes, where texture in the bowl becomes texture on the plate.