Our International House of Pancakes, Day 1: Kenya

I read this book many years ago, and I tried and tried to remember the title over the last few years.  I stumbled across it on the library shelf recently.  I love this story.  And it wraps up with a recipe for Kenyan pancakes.  (Book + related recipe = TRUE LOVE.  It's like... getting to eat a book.  Well, eating a book & it being Yummy, that is.)

Mama Panya's pancakes were delicious with raspberry jam, but next time we would cut out most of the oil.  I sort of wonder if there isn't a typo on that.  Sela, who is very... discriminating... loved them!

1 1/4 cups flour
2 cups cold water
1 1/3 vegetable oil (this seemed waaaaay too much - I'm going down to 1/3 cup, at most)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cardamom
1/2 tsp red chili pepper flakes, crushed

Mix all ingredients with a fork.  Preheat nonstick pan at medium to low setting.
Ladle batter into center of the pan and tilt pan to spread batter to size of grapefruit.
Cook until you see tiny bubbles in the pancake, then gently flip it over.
When the second side begins to pop up from heat, the pancake is ready.
You can fill it with something sweet, like jam, or something savory, like tuna salad.  Just roll & eat!

Chile peppers drying for seeds at UCD Student Farm