Apam Balik (Malaysian Peanut Pancake)

My mother always used to make peanut pancakes, but they never turned out as well as the soft and cakey ones we used to buy. Of course, my mother tended to use those smokey dried peanuts for a savory biscuit-type, and she tended to use peanut butter for her thick and extremely rich pancakes. These are more my style - what with delicious lemon peel and pistachio crepes and another being the favorite of everyone in our house; sugar, salt, cinnamon, minced peanuts and "butter".

Basic Crepe Batter Recipe:

1 and 1/2 cups Whole Wheat Flour

1 and 1/2 cups of Soymilk

1 cup of Cold Water

1 tsp of Cornstarch + 1 tsp of Cold Water (mix it well)

3 tbl of Oil (preferably Coconut)

1/4 tsp of Vanilla Extract

1/4 Package of Medium-Firm Tofu (not squeezed)

1 tbl of Sugar

A pinch of Salt

Original Peanut Filling:

1/4 cup of Minced Peanuts

Salt, Sugar and Cinnamon to taste

Margarine to add

Lemon-Pistachio Twist:

1/4 cup of Minced Pistachios

3 Small Lemon Peels (skin only) Minced

Salt and Sugar to taste

Margarine (optional, this was not added)

Mix all of your ingredients together for the crepe batter, adding the liquids first, then the oil and adding the cornstarch slurry last. Mix it well until slightly bubbly and let it sit for about an hour or two. Afterwards, put all of your ingredients into a blender and mix for about one minute. Meanwhile, heat up a non-stick skillet or cast iron pan and lightly spray or rub down a small amount of oil. Turn the heat onto low, grab a pot top and pour a bit of your batter into the pan. Use the back of the spoon to make it thinner, add your preferred filling all around the pancake and then place the pot lid onto the pan. Let that steam for a few minutes and then rub a rubber spatula under it to loosen it. Fold one half over and let that brown with the top on, flip over and repeat. Let it cool down a bit in the pan and then eat as you like.

I hope that you enjoy this wonderful dish!