How to make zucchini and beetroot noodles

 

When you think of vegetable pancakes, the first thing that comes to mind is pancakes. Well, or potato pancakes, latkes, roshti - all these are pancakes made from potatoes and almost always from childhood. For some reason, it's fried grated potatoes that have become part of my mother's favorite recipes on almost every continent except Antarctica.

Meanwhile, this dish turned out to be no worse than other root crops. Beetroot, carrot and celery root pancakes are the closest relatives of pancakes and have the same peasant origins and very similar recipes. But with a completely different taste profile, the variety is always more interesting. You can make sweet and plump pancakes with honey and nuts from beets and carrots, or you can make spicy pancakes with coriander and garlic. In general, celery root is multifaceted. There is a shade of fresh grass and liver, and a mixture of celery batter and fried onions makes such pancakes suddenly show the taste of forest mushrooms.

One bad thing is that it is rather difficult to give such alternative pancakes a beautiful shape. After all, potatoes are rich in starch that holds the dough together. Other recipes must include eggs, flour, or the same extra potato starch for extra stickiness.

The rest of the scenario remains the same. When the thin vegetable straws collected in the pancakes simmer in the boiling oil and are covered with a light blush, they should be removed from the pan and textured. Crispy Crust Crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, grilled vegetables.

Here are 5 additional rules on how to get the perfect shape, crispiness, and softness from your vegetable pancakes.

1. Most root crops are more watery than potatoes. Therefore, it is recommended to make the grater on a medium or coarse grater. Then you need to squeeze out the mass so that the excess juice accumulates. This will prevent the pancake batter from spreading during cooking.

2. If you want a more uniform texture, it is recommended to boil and rub root vegetables instead of raw. But to keep the shape, you need to add more flour to such pancakes.

3. The vegetable pancake batter is quite thick. It must be thoroughly mixed so that no lumps of flour remain. It is better to add salt to the ready-made dough immediately before frying. Otherwise, more juice will come out of the vegetables.

4. Vegetables are always suitable for vegetable pancakes. However, there is one requirement. It literally has to be crushed to dust, so it doesn't interfere in any way with the main sense of taste, only the aroma.

5. You get the most lush and delicious pancakes. First, quickly fry both sides over high heat until golden brown, then fry for a long time over minimal heat to reach the inside. The first stage is without the lid and the second stage is under the lid.

Celery Root Pancakes with Cottage Cheese and Smoked Ham

We borrowed this recipe in part from Jamie Oliver, but added plain cottage cheese instead of British cheddar. It is cheaper and softer. By the way, Jamie recommends replacing heavy vegetable puddings with such pancakes. In terms of material composition, they are similar, but look much more modern. Cauliflower, broccoli, parsnip, zucchini, and any other vegetable you like can be added to the celery either together or separately.

Gingerbread Beetroot Pancakes

In general, we perceive beets as participants in soups and salads, but rarely as a confectionery ingredient. Meanwhile, beets befriend the cinnamon and vanilla, and in these dessert pancakes, they only show a sweet and reddish appearance, completely eliminating the raw earthy aftertaste.

Carrot Pancakes with Cumin and Coriander

Something in the material set looks vaguely familiar. Zira, cilantro, carrots, fragrant roast… Yes, this is a common dressing for pilaf, also known as zirvak. Here she performs very successfully without rice. These pancakes can be served with lemon slices, yogurt or mashed feta cheese. Or use it as a side dish, such as lamb stew.