12 sweet ways to savoury your pancake

Bánh xèo, jeon, crepes, besan puda, galettes, martabak, blini, roti canai, dosa, uttapam, okonomiyaki... it all sounds like breakfast to us.

Chinese breakfast crepes (Jian bing) Credit: Kitti Gould

--- The Cook Up with Adam Liaw airs weeknights at 7pm on SBS Food (Ch.33). All episodes are available anytime on SBS On Demand. ---

It doesn't happen often, but we've recently had occasion to respectfully disagree with Adam Liaw.

"I have a bone to pick with the English language," he says on The Cook Up with Adam Liaw. "Everything's a pancake... When it comes to Asian food, it's, oh, that's a Vietnamese pancake, oh, that's a Korean pancake, that's a Japanese pancake. And there's completely different foods, but everything's just a pancake if it's flat."

Well... actually Adam, that sounds about right. It's called a savoury pancake because that's shorthand for flat, easy, quick and breakfast-for-dinner. Hence why most cultures have some form of savoury pancake on high rotation (they can call it whatever they like, we know what it is). If it starts with a batter and finishes flat, it can wear the savoury pancake mantle with pride. Everything in between is fair game.

Of course, Adam gets it, really. "I am joking about it because sometimes it is easier just to explain something to someone who doesn't know what bánh xèo means or what jeon means, just to say,well, it's a savoury pancake," he explains. "Then you know what it is. It is communicative and that's what language should be."

That's what food should be too, right? Enter: the savoury pancake.

Bánh xèo

How is this not a pancake?

We'd better start with the Vietnamese street food that created all the fuss in the first place. To make bánh xèo a light rice flour batter is poured over fried pork belly and prawns. Add a good soak of nước chấm and you're practically walking the streets of Ho Chi Minh City.

Galette

Brittany is justifiably famous for its delicious savoury crêpes, garnished with cheese, charcuterie, seafood and more. Credit: Adam Liaw

The galette Bretonne is a buckwheat pancake wrapped around a savoury filling. This is not to be confused with other forms of galette, which are more tart than pancake. Make your pancake, add your fillings (ham and egg is always a good idea, pop some cheese in there too), fold and you're good to go.

Okonomiyaki

Don’t skimp on the condiments, they’re what make okonomiyaki the deliciously messy meal it is. Credit: Justine's Flavours of Fuji

The Japanese savoury cabbage pancake is probably one of the most delicious bites you'll ever eat. There's a whole heap of umami packed flat and plenty of condiments for extra oomph.

Blinis

The word blini comes from the Russian for pancake... ahem, just sayin'...

Keep your pancakes small and top them with smoked salmon or roast beef for a super simple dinner party starter. In fact, go to town with your savoury toppings because blinis can handle anything. They're traditionally made with buckwheat flour, so they score bonus healthy eating points too.

Jian bing

Jian bing come with a little textural surprise – crispy wonton wrappers are crushed and folded inside. Credit: Kitti Gould

If you're picking up breakfast on the streets of China, most likely you are picking up jian bing. While the popular street food originated in the Shandong province, vendors are now found in every metropolitan neighbourhood across the country. The reason for its popularity might be the hidden crunch inside...

Frico

Frico is a bit like a cheesy potato tortilla, but without any eggs. Credit: Paola Bacchia

Italy's pancake saviour is not pizza (Adam would shudder if it were), but frico. In the Friuli-Venezia region, frico is often served in the late afternoon with a glass of wine. Down the road in Venice, bars sometimes serve cheesy, crispy frico as part of cicchetti. Sounds like a plan to us!

Dosa

Dosa is originally a breakfast dish, but we'll forgive you for wanting to eat it all day long. Credit: Reversing Diabetes

Dosa or thosai are thin pancakes made all over Southern India using a fermented rice and lentil batter. The texture is crispy on the outside but soft on the inside, similar to a French crêpe, but probably crispier and softer. They are seriously addictive, whatever you choose to stuff them with.

Besan ka puda

Meet the Indian savoury pancake that will quickly have you in its thrall, besan ka puda. This one is made from chickpea flour (besan) with added vegetables like zucchini, chilli and spinach. You can actually add any finely chopped or grated vegetables you like, which makes besan ka puda as versatile as it is tasty.

Roti canai

Roti ('bread' in several languages, including Malay) is Indian by origin, but almost universal in Asian kitchens Credit: Adam and Poh's Malaysia in Australia

There are quite a few flatbreads that fall under the savoury pancake banner, but we're definitely claiming roti canai. It's got all the hallmarks (easy, quick, flat) and comes into its own when stuffed before cooking. You can add parantha and malawach to the bread-as-pancake list too.

Crêpes

Stack your savoury crêpes with béchamel sauce and your filling for an impressive brunch dish. Credit: Paola Bacchia

The secret to the lightest, airiest crêpes is to get yourself a decent crepe pan. Yep, this is one time you can blame your tools if things don't go well. Once you've got the pan, it's just a matter of giving your batter plenty of rest in the fridge then going very gently on your pour. After that, we all know the best crepes are filled with savoury goodies like this spinach, ham and blue cheese stack.

Uttapam

Crack an egg into the centre of your veggie pancake for extra protein and flavour. Credit: Kitti Gould

A cousin to dosa (see above) and idli, uttapam uses the same fermented batter but is thicker and fluffier than either. This means its the perfect base for plenty of savoury toppings. Try onion, tomato, egg or capsicum. Or all of the above!

Make it your own

"Growing up in a family with four kids and hard-working parents... there wasn’t always heaps of time to spend cooking," says Joachim. No doubt this easy-breezy savoury pancake would have been on high rotation for dinner. Credit: Adam Liaw

As you've probably noticed, savoury pancakes are versatile, adaptable and easy-as. So go ahead and make them however you fancy, like Joachim Borenius' Scandinavian oven-baked version. A dish he's been making since he was a kid.