Chickpea flour pancakes
Soft savory pancakes made from chickpea (gram) flour, water and a little oil, with optional grated zucchini. No egg, milk or wheat, and no added salt. Offer them once your baby has had chickpeas on their own.
- From
- 6 months
- Time
- 30 min
- Makes
- About 10 small pancakes
No top allergens
Ingredients
- 1 cup (about 100 g)chickpea (gram) flour
- 150–180 ml (⅔–¾ cup)waterenough to make a batter like thick cream
- 1 tbspvegetable or olive oilplus a little for the pan
- ½ smallzucchini (courgette)optional; very finely grated, with the water squeezed out
Steps
- 1Wash your hands. If you use the zucchini, rinse it under running water, grate it very finely, then squeeze it in a clean tea towel to remove as much water as you can.
- 2Whisk the chickpea flour, oil and most of the water until smooth, with no lumps. Add the rest of the water if it's thicker than thick cream, then stir in the zucchini. Don't add salt. Let the batter rest for 10 minutes. It contains raw flour, so don't taste it or let your baby lick the spoon, and wash your hands, bowls and utensils with warm, soapy water after handling it.
- 3Heat a little oil in a nonstick pan over medium-low heat. Add tablespoons of batter, spreading each into a pancake about 8 cm (3 in) across and no thicker than about 5 mm (¼ in).
- 4Cook for about 3 minutes, until the edges look set and the underside is lightly golden, then flip and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes. They're done when the middle is cooked all the way through, with no wet or sticky batter: tear one open to check.
- 5Let them cool on a plate for a few minutes, then cut them for your baby's stage. Squash a strip between your thumb and finger: it should flatten easily. Check they're only just warm before serving.
How to serve it by age
6 months+
Once your baby has had chickpeas on their own without a reaction, cut each pancake into strips about the size of an adult finger, roughly 6–8 cm long and 2 cm wide (2½–3 × ¾ in). Trim off any crisp edges.
9 months+
Cut into pieces no bigger than about 1 cm (just under ½ inch) for pincer-grasp practice, or keep serving strips.
12 months+
Serve whole small pancakes, strips or bite-sized pieces about 1 cm (just under ½ inch), with soft-cooked vegetables, or a spoonful of plain yogurt to dip once dairy has been introduced on its own.
Leftovers and the rest of the family
Storing it
Cooked pancakes keep for 3 to 4 days in a covered container in the fridge, or 3 to 4 months in the freezer (freeze them in a single layer, then pack them together once frozen). Reheat only once, until steaming hot, 165°F (74°C), then let them cool and check they're still soft before serving. Throw away anything left in your baby's bowl. Don't leave pancakes at room temperature for more than 2 hours, or 1 hour if it's hotter than 90°F (32°C).
For the grown-ups
Cook your baby's pancakes first, then stir salt, chili, cumin and chopped onion or herbs into the rest of the batter to make larger savory pancakes for the adults.
Foods in this recipe
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