Vegan Breakfast - veggie pancake and black soy milk

At times of pandemic, besides ensuring proper hand hygiene, avoiding crowded places, staying home when feeling unwell to prevent spread of disease, you can give your immunity a boost (for extra protection from within) by eating a healthy, balanced diet rich in antioxidants and nutrients. Studies has shown that foods rich in iron, zinc and vitamin C contribute to a stronger immune system. Instead of downing on supplements, why not get them from your foods? You get to stimulate your senses from the smell, taste and sight of beautiful foods and I believe that should add a little more to your sense of well-being amidst the craze!

Start your day with a simple vegan breakfast - homemade pancake and black soy milk that is a complete balanced meal on its own. Pancake batter can be made a day in advance, beans soaked in and blended in advance works too. So you need only 30 minutes to put everything together in the morning. This savoury pancake is made from a mixture of wholemeal flour, organic corn, beetroot, black bean okara (a by product from making black bean soy milk), ginger, onion and keffir lime leaf.

1. Wholemeal flour and corn provides more fibre and vitamin B for a more stable blood sugar, and efficient use of energy.

2. Beetroot is rich in iron, zinc and antioxidant.

3. Black bean okara is rich in protein, fibre. If you are not making soy milk out of it, just blend it with a little water to form a paste to be added into the pancake mixture. All beans needs to be soaked and sprouted (if possible) before using, to increase the absorption and digestibility of the nutrients. Replace with eggs for a non-vegan option.

4. Ginger and onion are strong anti inflammatory agents while enhancing the flavour of our pancake. I use pre-fried ginger for better aroma, but fresh raw ginger ground into paste works well too.

5. Keffir lime leaf is finely minced to add flavour to the pancake

This pancake recipe is just an idea of what can be added, but feel free to use whatever ingredients that's available in your pantry. It's a very forgiving recipe.

In Chinese medicine, black is associated with kidney health and are believed to maintain youthful appearance. Back bean is also rich in protein, soluble fibre, folate, potassium and magnesium that helps in maintaining bone and heart health via a string of processes, from reducing LDL cholesterol, improve blood pressure, maintain bowel regularity to regulating the enzymatic processes in the body. The flavour of black soy milk is enhanced by adding some pandan leaves and a small amount of jaggery sugar.

Vegetables pancake recipe Ingredients (Serves 4)

• 200g wholemeal flour

• 2tbsp tapioca starch (to make pancake softer)

• 1tsp baking powder (for fluffier pancake)

• 1/2 medium beetroot, finely chopped

• 1/2 cup corn kernel (use fresh when possible)

• 1/2 cup Black bean (blended) OR 2 eggs

• 1 keffir lime leaf (finely minced)

• 350g water, adjust accordingly

• Salt and pepper to taste

Method

1. In a bowl, mix wholemeal flour, tapioca starch, baking powder, salt and pepper evenly.

2. Add water and stir well to remove lumps.

3. Add black bean okara or eggs and stir well.

4. Add in chopped beetroot, corn kernel and keffir lime leaf.

5. Batter should be smooth and not too runny.

6. Heat a non stick pan with medium high heat.

7. Pour batter to fill the whole pan. You may choose to cook a few small pancakes a time.

8. Once pancake is 80% formed, with holes on the surface, flip and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes, depending on the size of the pancake.

9. Serve warm

Black soymilk Ingredients (Serve 4)

• 100g black beans

• 3 pandan leaves

• 1 pc ginger (optional), mashed

• 20g jaggery sugar

• 1.0 L water

Method

1. Wash and soak beans for 8 hours. Drain and leave covered for another 12 hours, wash beans every 6 hours, to allow to sprout.

2. Remove skin of beans if desired.

3. Boil 1L water with pandan leaves and ginger for approximately 15 minutes.

4. While water is boiling, blend soaked and sprouted beans with a bit of water, to form a very smooth paste, like a smoothie.

5. Remove pandan leaves from water. Reduce heat and pour in the black bean paste while stirring.

6. Cook for 30 minutes using small medium heat. Watch constantly to prevent overflowing.

7. Strain the black bean dreg and sweeten with jaggery sugar.

8. Serve warm.

Hope you will give this recipe a try, I wish that everyone stay safe and healthy through this period. My deepest gratitude to those who are in the front line, our Healthcare staffs and other service staffs that work relentlessly for the benefit of all!