Fluffy Nigerian Yam Pancakes

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I tried this recipe for yam pancakes last year’s Spring and it was a success, but not being too sure how people would receive it, I shelved it. Then I made some again last week, but I doubted and put it aside; until a friend of mine made some and viola! it was the same way I made mine. Listen, he did not even know about my recipe, but as a brilliant foodie, he made it and I felt not only encouraged, but it taught me a lesson not to doubt myself again. When ever in doubt, just do it!

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I still remember how I came up with this recipe. I was watching a kids cooking program; well in my sub consciousness; as I was trying to get some sleep, but my ajebutter decided to watch the cooking show. The kids were asked to do something with potatoes, and one of them did a sweet potato pancake, but out of boiled sweet potatoes and I asked myself yam pancakes nkor? And that was how this recipe was born 🙂

It’s funny how the recipe came together and is now a staple for my son who was diagnosed with an allergy to gluten. And like Olaoluwa described, the recipe just flowed as I made it. I wonder why I doubted myself gan.

To serve my portion, I had it with some Shito sauce and it just worked. If not for fit fam, I would have had more. If you have ever had boiled or fried yam and shito, you will understand the obsession. Even with yam, I love yam like a fat kid loves cake. To me, yam is like riches. In fact in the early days, if you owned a yam barn in Igbo land, you were seen as a rich person. Yam is to an Igbo man, what a cow is to a cattle farmer.

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You could try this recipe for your special Valentine 🙂

For those who want to use water yam, there will be a note at the end of the recipe

Meanwhile, check this out 🙂  https://thatsweetgift.com/mrs-andersons-crank-flour-sifter

5.0 from 2 reviews
Fluffy Nigerian Yam Pancakes
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Author:
Ingredients
for yam pancake
  • 6 small cubes of yam(peeled and boiled in salty water until thoroughly soft)
  • ¼ cup melted butter
  • ½ cup of milk or cream(use plain soy milk if on s gluten free diet)
  • 1 tbsp. of any flour(optional)
  • pinch of salt
  • ¼ tsp nut meg
  • 2 tsps. baking powder
  • ¼ tsp baking soda(optional)
  • 1 egg (at room temperature)
for shrimp filling
  • ½ lb of shrimp(peeled, deveined and chopped)
  • 1 knob of butter
  • 1 tsp oil
  • 1 garlic clove(minced)
  • a hand full of chopped onions
  • a hand full of chopped peppers
  • 1 tsp chili peppers
  • bouillon(optional)
  • salt
Instructions
for the shrimp
  1. heat up butter and oil. Pour in the onion and sauté until almost translucent. Add the garlic and the peppers; then the shrimp; then the chili and seasonings and cook until the shrimp turns pink; then set aside.
  2. Mash the yam and let it cool a little, add the nut meg, pinch of salt, baking soda, baking powder egg, melted butter, shrimp mix and stir; then begin to add the milk in little portions until it forms a semi thick slurry like a regular pancake(add flour if you over do it with the milk)
  3. Heat a pan with a little amount of oil. Using a small cup(approximately ¼), scoop the yam batter on to the pan and fry on medium/low heat for about 2 minutes on each side.
Notes
if using water yam. grate into strings like you would a potato and add some flour. You could also boil and mash if you want.

15 comments

  1. Oluchi says:

    Hi Nma, I just tried d pancake, they tasted sooo nice but dey were so hard to form, they were breaking in the pan, I dont knw if it’s cause the yams were too soft when i mashed them. What do you think the problem could have been. And please do you have a video for dis tutorial. Thanks and God bless.

  2. Sasha says:

    I literally just discovered how to make these and Googled it, and here it is! I’ll have to try this recipe next time. Thanks!

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