Indian Banana and Cardamom Pancakes Recipe
Indian Banana and Cardamom Pancakes are soft, fragrant rounds with a lightly caramelised surface and a tender, fruit-rich centre. The quantities are calibrated for two medium ripe bananas, about 200–220 g after peeling, and 150 g plain wheat flour, also sold as all-purpose flour. Rather than forcing the banana batter into crepe-thin layers, cook it as small pancakes about 10–12 cm wide. The recipe makes approximately 10 pancakes.
This is best understood as an Indian-style home pancake rather than a definitive traditional South Indian formula. Sweet banana dosas and banana-based griddle cakes appear in several South Indian home-cooking traditions, particularly in Kerala and coastal Karnataka, but versions often use different flours and sweeteners. The egg-and-milk wheat batter here follows a familiar pancake method while retaining the ripe banana, cardamom and ghee flavours associated with Indian sweets and snacks.
Ripe banana does more than sweeten the batter: it keeps the centre moist while its natural sugars create bronze, almost toffee-like patches against the pan. Cardamom cuts through that sweetness with a floral, citrusy aroma, and the light coating of ghee gives the finished pancakes a distinctly buttery finish.
Why this version works
- Using two medium bananas, with an approximate peeled weight, removes much of the uncertainty caused by widely varying fruit sizes.
- Plain or all-purpose wheat flour gives a softer, more predictable texture than a high-protein bread flour.
- Holding back 30 ml of the measured milk allows the batter to be adjusted after resting without exceeding the listed quantity.
- Small 10–12 cm rounds suit the weight of the banana batter and cook through more reliably than thin, pan-sized pancakes.
- Medium-low heat gives the centre time to set before the banana and sugar on the surface become too dark.
Chef's tips
Use bananas with plenty of brown speckles on the peel; yellow-green fruit will be less sweet and harder to mash smoothly. Keep the first pancake as a heat test, since every pan behaves differently. For pancakes served immediately, stack them loosely so a little steam keeps them supple without making their surfaces soggy.
How to serve
Serve the pancakes warm as they are, or add yogurt for tang, honey for extra sweetness or fresh fruit for contrast. They are especially good when the ghee is brushed on while the surface is still hot enough to absorb it.
Watch out for
- Very high heat will brown the banana sugars before the middle cooks. If the first side becomes dark in less than 1 minute, lower the heat and let the pan cool briefly.
- Do not expect this batter to flow like crepe batter. If it runs across the pan immediately, the pancakes will be thin and difficult to turn.
- Avoid flipping while the top is still glossy and liquid. The spatula should slide underneath without batter spilling over the edge.
- Stir only briefly after adding the flour. Prolonged whisking can make wheat-flour pancakes chewy rather than tender.
Substitutions
- Plain or all-purpose wheat flour is the preferred type. Whole-wheat flour can be used within the same quantity, but it will produce a heartier pancake and will probably require all 250 ml of milk.
- Any neutral vegetable oil, such as sunflower or canola oil, is suitable for greasing the pan.
- Freshly ground cardamom can replace packaged ground cardamom in the same measured amount for a stronger aroma.
Ingredients
- banana very ripe - 2 pieces
- milk - 250 ml
- wheat flour - 150 g
- egg - 1 piece
- sugar - 1 tablespoon
- ground cardamom - 0.5 teaspoons
- salt - 1 pinch
- vegetable oil - 2 tablespoons
- ghee - 10 g
Preparation
- Peel the bananas and mash them thoroughly with a fork. Aim for a thick purée with no pieces larger than a pea; a few tiny banana flecks are fine.
- Set aside 30 ml of the milk. Whisk the egg, sugar, cardamom and salt in a large bowl, then whisk in the mashed banana and the remaining 220 ml milk until evenly combined.
- Add the flour in three portions, whisking gently after each addition just until no dry pockets remain. Let the batter stand for 10 minutes so the flour can hydrate.
- Stir the rested batter and check its consistency. It should fall from a spoon in a broad ribbon and settle back into the bowl within about 3 seconds. If it remains in a mound, stir in the reserved milk 1 tablespoon at a time. The batter should be thicker than crepe batter but loose enough to spread with a spoon.
- Warm a non-stick pan over medium-low heat for 2–3 minutes. Add about 1 teaspoon of the measured vegetable oil and swirl it into a thin film. A small drop of batter should sizzle gently on contact without turning dark within 30 seconds.
- Spoon about 3 tablespoons of batter into the pan. Use the back of the spoon to ease it into a 10–12 cm round about 4–5 mm thick; do not tilt the pan or try to make a paper-thin pancake.
- Cook for 1 1/2–2 1/2 minutes. It is ready to turn when the edge looks set, the wet sheen on top has mostly disappeared, a few bubbles have opened near the centre and the underside is deep golden with brown speckles. Flip with a thin spatula and cook the second side for 45–75 seconds.
- Transfer the pancake to a plate and brush it lightly with some of the ghee. Repeat with the remaining batter, using the rest of the vegetable oil in small amounts and adjusting the heat as necessary. Stack the pancakes loosely to keep them warm and soft, then serve promptly.
Storage
Store the pancakes wrapped in foil or in a container; reheat in a dry pan or in the microwave until warm and soft.
I prefer these as small, spoon-spread rounds rather than thin pancakes. That shape preserves the contrast that makes the recipe appealing: browned edges, a soft banana centre and a clear cardamom fragrance when the pancake is torn open.
