RECIPE: Marc Matsumoto's Matcha Pancakes

Pancakes are a treat any way you look at it, but adding matcha to the batter takes them to the next level. To ensure they're moist and fluffy, I like to use yogurt as the primary liquid. This makes for a thick batter, and the acidity of the yogurt combined with the leavening ingredients ensures a good amount of lift. To ensure a smooth green surface on the pancakes, I use a non-stick pan without oiling it, but if you use a regular pan, you'll need to wipe the pan with an oiled paper towel.

Makes 6-8 small pancakes

Ingredients

• 140g cake flour (a little more than 1 cup)
• 2 tbsp matcha latte
• 1 tbsp sugar
• ½ tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp baking soda
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter (30g)
• 1 large eggs
• 1 cup yogurt
• ⅛ tsp salt

Instructions

1. Sift the cake flour, matcha latte mix, sugar, baking powder, and baking soda together. 
2. Melt the butter in a microwave, set to low power, and let it cool slightly. Whisk in the egg until smooth, then whisk in the yogurt and salt until the mixture is smooth and uniform in color. 
3. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and fold together with a spatula until there are no big lumps of flour (it's okay if there are some small pockets of flour). Be careful not to overmix, or your pancakes will end up tough. 
4. Heat a large non-stick pan or griddle over medium-low heat until moderately hot. The pancakes will brown if the heat is up too high, so adjust the heat accordingly. 
5. Use a spoon to add the batter into the pan and cook on one side until the edges appear to be dry and you see bubbles rising to the surface of the pancake. 
6. Flip them over using a spatula and cook the second side until the batter has set.
7. Serve the pancakes with kuromitsu (following recipe). Optionally you can serve them with whipped cream and red bean paste. 

Recipe courtesy of our friend Marc Matsumoto of No Recipes