South African Spiced Lamb Pannekoek

Ingredients

• 200g (7oz)plain flour
• 2large eggs
• 500ml (18fl oz)whole milk
• 30g (1oz)unsalted butter, melted, plus extra for the pan
• pinchfine salt, for the batter
• 500g (1lb 2oz)lamb mince, 20% fat — for the filling
• 1 mediumonion, finely chopped
• 2garlic cloves, finely minced
• 1 tspground cumin
• 1 tspground coriander
• 0.5 tspground turmeric
• 0.5 tspmild curry powder
• 0.25 tspground cinnamon
• 2 tbspapricot jam
• 1 tbspwhite wine vinegar
• 200g (7oz)tinned chopped tomatoes
• to tasteflaky salt and black pepper, to season
• 4 tbspGreek yoghurt or sour cream, to serve

Method

1. 1

   Whisk the flour, eggs, milk, melted butter, and a pinch of salt together until smooth and lump-free. Leave to rest for 15 minutes while you make the filling.

   Resting the batter allows the gluten to relax, giving you thinner, more pliable pannekoek.
2. 2

   Heat a large frying pan over a high heat. Add the lamb mince and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, for 5–6 minutes until browned all over. Transfer to a bowl with a slotted spoon and set aside.

   Cook in a dry pan — lamb mince releases enough fat. Drain off any excess fat before adding the onion.
3. 3

   Reduce the heat to medium. Add the onion to the same pan and cook for 5 minutes until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 1 further minute.

4. 4

   Add the cumin, coriander, turmeric, curry powder, and cinnamon. Stir for 30 seconds until fragrant.

   Toasting the spices in the residual fat at this stage deepens the flavour considerably — do not skip it.
5. 5

   Return the lamb to the pan. Add the chopped tomatoes and stir to combine. Simmer over a medium heat for 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is thick and most of the liquid has evaporated.

   The filling must be dry enough to sit inside the pannekoek without soaking through. If it still looks wet, keep cooking.
6. 6

   Stir in the apricot jam and white wine vinegar. Season generously with salt and black pepper. It should taste warm, slightly sweet, and a little sharp. Keep warm on a low heat while you cook the pannekoek.

7. 7

   Heat a 24cm non-stick frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add a small knob of butter and swirl to coat. Pour in approximately 80ml of batter and immediately tilt the pan to spread it into a thin, even round.

   The first pannekoek is almost always a write-off — the pan needs calibrating. Eat it as the cook's privilege.
8. 8

   Cook for 1–2 minutes until the edges are golden and the surface looks dry. Flip with a spatula and cook for a further 30 seconds. Slide onto a warmed plate.

9. 9

   Spoon a generous line of lamb filling along the centre of each pannekoek. Roll tightly into a cigar shape. Serve immediately with a spoonful of Greek yoghurt or sour cream alongside.

Pro Tips

• →The filling must be dry — if it looks wet, keep simmering. A wet filling soaks through the pannekoek within minutes.
• →Apricot jam is not optional: it provides the sweetness that lifts the spiced lamb and makes this distinctly South African rather than generic.
• →The batter keeps in the fridge for 24 hours. Stir before using as it separates on standing.
• →Keep finished pannekoek warm in a low oven (120°C) while you cook the rest — they dry out fast if left uncovered.

Topping Ideas

Terms in this recipe

Defined in the Pancake Day glossary.

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