Pancakes with soda and kefir
Origin of the recipe
Kefir-based pancakes with baking soda are a practical recipe from the Soviet era that has become a classic in home cooking thanks to the simplicity and availability of its ingredients. Kefir, which became widely available in the mid-20th century, pairs perfectly with baking soda: the acidic environment activates it, creating a fluffy dough without the need for yeast. These pancakes were made quickly—in the morning before school or work, served with sour cream, jam, or honey. Today, this recipe remains one of the most popular: it's ready in just 15 minutes and always turns out well, even for novice cooks.
What do you need for cooking?
Ingredients
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Kefir
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Eggs
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Sugar
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Salt
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Flour
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Soda
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Boiling water
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Vegetable oil
Kitchen utensils
- Whisk
- shoulder blade
- deep bowl
- Non-stick frying pan
Step-by-step recipe:
Step 1:
Break eggs into a bowl, add kefir, sugar and salt and beat well with a whisk until smooth.
Step 2:
Gradually add the flour, sifting it through a sieve to avoid lumps. Mix until smooth.
Step 3:
Add the baking soda and immediately pour in the boiling water. Stir again thoroughly—this will make the pancakes fluffier.
Step 4:
Add vegetable oil and mix well again - this will make the pancakes more elastic.
Step 5:
Heat a frying pan over medium heat and brush it with a little oil.
Step 6:
Pour a portion of the batter into the pan and distribute it evenly, tilting the pan slightly.
Step 7:
Fry the pancake until the surface is bubbly and matte.
Step 8:
Carefully flip the pancake with a spatula and fry the other side until golden brown.
Step 9:
Place the finished pancake on a plate, covering it with a towel to keep it soft.
Step 10:
Repeat steps 6-9 until you run out of dough.
Step 11:
Serve the pancakes warm: with sour cream, honey or any other filling of your choice.
Cooking tips:
Use fresh kefir with moderate acidity. Kefir that is too old or too acidic can impart a bitter and unpleasant flavor to your pancakes.
Add the baking soda only after adding the kefir to the batter. The acid in the kefir activates the baking soda, causing a reaction that makes the pancakes airy and spongy—there's no need to quench the baking soda with vinegar.
Don't overmix the batter after adding the baking soda. Mix gently—overmixing will release carbon dioxide and reduce the fluffiness of the pancakes.
Sift the flour. This will not only remove lumps but also enrich the batter with oxygen, which will enhance the effect of the baking soda and make the pancakes more tender.
Fry immediately after mixing the batter. The reaction between the baking soda and kefir begins immediately, so the sooner you start baking, the fluffier the pancakes will be.
Use medium heat. Pancakes made with kefir and baking soda cook quickly and brown easily; too much heat can cause the outside to burn and the inside to become soggy.
