Vegetable Pajun

Easier than I imagined.

I was looking for something to make with our CSA green peppers, and this recipe from Madhur Jaffrey's World Vegetarian caught my eye. Of course, Rob and I love pajun -- our introduction to it was at Asia Cuisine on the Commons. But I never thought of making it at home.

The original recipe calls for rice flour, which is lacking in my pantry, but I do have chickpea flour (besan), which made for a smoother and more substantial pajun and also adds protein to the dish. It could also have benefited from the recommended scallions and mushrooms; not having any, I substituted garlic and carrots. Onions would also be good.

In the picture, the pajun is shown with a dipping sauce of black rice vinegar and soy sauce, which was a bit too strong. Maybe white rice vinegar next time.

Here's the recipe as I made it (for three 8-inch pancakes):

3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup chickpea flour
salt
1 egg, beaten
1 T sesame oil

1 bell pepper, cut into fine long slivers and then halved lengthwise
1 large carrot, grated
1 large clove garlic, minced
1-1/2 t sesame seeds

In a bowl, mix the flours, 1-1/2 cups of water, 3/4 t salt, egg, and sesame oil. The batter should have the consistency of cream; use less water if necessary. Stir vigorously to break up lumps and set aside for 30 minutes.

In a non-stick frying pan, fry the vegetables in a little oil briefly until just wilted. Season with a sprinkling of salt and mix. Remove the vegetables to a bowl.

Reduce heat to medium low. Add 1 T oil and pour in 1/3 of the batter. Arrange 1/3 of the vegetable mixture evenly on top and sprinkle with 1/2 t sesame seeds. Cook covered for 5-6 minutes, until the bottom is browned. Flip with a large spatula and cook covered for another 4 minutes. The vegetables should just begin to brown. Uncover, flip onto the first side, and cook for another couple of minutes. Remove and cut into wedges.

Repeat for the second and third pancakes.