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Kabocha Pancakes with Lychee and Sage Syrup Topping

These flourless pancakes make maximum use of kabocha's sweet, creamy flavor. The unexpected pairing of fresh lychees in a sage-infused syrup complements them so well that we simply can't get enough of this recipe.
This recipe is vegetarian, gluten-free, and nightshade-free. If made using ghee, this recipe is effectively dairy-free and safe for those with lactose intolerance.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Total Time55 minutes
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: Fusion
Servings: 4 servings
Author: Gastricurious

Equipment

  • Steamer pot
  • Candy thermometer

Ingredients

Pancakes:

  • 1 kabocha
  • ¾ cup rice milk
  • 2 Tbs arrowroot powder
  • ½ tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 3 eggs
  • 2 Tbs ghee or butter ,melted
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 tsp ground sumac
  • ¼ tsp ginger

Topping:

  • 1 cup water
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 4-5 sprigs fresh sage
  • 2 cups fresh lychees ,halved and pitted

Instructions

For the Pancakes:

  • Cut kabocha in half. Remove stem (if present) and scoop out seeds and pulp. Cut squash into several smaller wedges.
  • Bring a small amount of water to boil in a steamer pot (or similar arrangement for steaming vegetables). Add kabocha to steamer basket. Cover and cook 15 minutes, or until very soft.
  • Remove squash from heat and allow to cool. Once wedges are cool enough to handle, scoop flesh off of skins and into a large bowl. (Squash may be prepared up to 3 days in advance and stored in the refrigerator until ready to use).
  • Combine 1 ½ cups cooked squash with the rice milk in a blender or food processor, and blend until smooth. (Work in batches, if necessary). Pour into a medium mixing bowl.
  • Add arrowroot powder, baking powder, salt, eggs, melted ghee, sumac and ginger. Mix well. Allow the batter to stand for several minutes (it will thicken as it rests).
  • Heat a skillet or griddle over medium heat. Once it is fully hot, melt a small amount of ghee and coat the pan with it. Pour or spoon enough batter into pan to make pancakes of your desired size (we found that 4-5” pancakes were easiest to work with for this recipe, but feel free to go larger or smaller if you prefer).
  • Flip pancakes once bubbles form in the top surface and the batter starts looking slightly dry. Continue cooking until both sides are evenly browned and pancakes are cooked through (about 2 minutes per side). The cooked surfaces will darken very quickly – don't panic, they are not burnt! This batter simply cooks up to a much darker color than traditional flour-based recipes.

For the lychee and sage syrup topping:

  • Peel the lychees. Slice in half and remove the seeds. Set lychees aside in a small bowl (you want to collect any juices that drain off the cut fruit).
  • Add water and sugar to a small pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Set up a candy thermometer, add sage to the pot and continue boiling. Monitor the temperature closely from here – you are aiming for between 223° and 230°F in order to make a nice, thick syrup for your pancakes. Test with a spoon to see if it is thickening, and allow it to boil longer if it seems too thin. Don't let it heat up past 230°, though, or else you will be making frosting instead.
  • Once the syrup reaches the proper temperature, remove the pot from heat and allow the sage to steep for about 30 minutes. Strain through a fine mesh strainer.
  • In a separate, clean pot, add the lychees and any reserved juices and heat over medium heat until the fruit is heated through and begins to turn opaque.
  • Serve pancakes topped with lychees and sage syrup.

Notes

  • Kabocha (also called Japanese pumpkin) is a smaller-sized winter squash with a sweet flavor somewhere between butternut and acorn squash. Unlike many other “hard shell” squashes, the skin is relatively thin and is fully edible when cooked. It has become increasingly common in the US recently. Try looking for it at Asian markets and any supermarket with a well-stocked produce section (in the Chicago area, it is almost always available at Mitsuwa and Tony's Fresh Market). If you can't find it, try looking for buttercup squash, which is very similar. Other varieties, such as butternut, Hubbard or pumpkin, would probably work as well, albeit with a different flavor profile. Sweet potato could also be substituted in a pinch.
  • Lychee (sometimes referred to as litchi or “lychee nut”) is a small fruit native to Asia that is easily recognized by its rough, bright red skin. They have long been a favorite in Asia and have started gaining in popularity in the US in recent years. Look for them in late spring through early fall at any store that stocks “tropical” or “specialty” fruit (Jewel, Tony's, and Mitsuwa have all been reliable sources for us in our area). They are at their peak in the first half of summer, but seem to occasionally turn up in January. Lychees are also available canned in syrup – this could work in this recipe if you can't get them fresh.
  • Our original idea was to make syrup with infused with both the lychees and sage. We tried several approaches, but the syrup would never thicken to where we wanted it. We then tried making the sage syrup first and heating the lychees in it, but that didn't work out either. Something about these fruit seems to break down the syrup and thin it out. We didn't want to use any sort of thickener agent here, so opted to just pour the syrup over everything at the end. If you really want to try cooking the lychees in the syrup, you may need to add pectin, corn starch, or something similar to keep it from turning watery.
  • If you must substitute the rice milk in this recipe, we strongly advise that you pick something that is very light and has a neutral flavor. We tried several other milk replacements, including coconut and flax, and found that most of them added too much of their own flavor. If dairy isn't a concern, we imagine that a low fat or skim dairy milk would work well, but we have not tried this ourselves.