Gluten-Free Penglai Rice Pancakes 米鬆餅(桃園3號蓬萊米)

Named after the home of immortals, Mt. Penglai, from Chinese mythology, penglai short-grain rice is the most popularly consumed rice in Taiwan. It's moist and sticky, but has the coveted Q (al dente) quality. The Taoyuan No. 3 cultivar we carry is beloved for its fragrant taro notes.

Learn to make bouncy, rice-fragrant, and gluten-free pancakes using the penglai short-grain rice grown in Taoyuan, Taiwan by rice farmer Chen Shih-Hsien. To hear more about Chen and watch a recipe demo, check out this video .

Rice Pancakes Made from Penglai Short-Grain Rice
米鬆餅(桃園3號蓬萊米)

Serves 4

Ingredients

150g Penglai Short-Grain Rice
100g milk
30g butter
30g coconut nectar sugar (if using regular granulated sugar, this can be reduced to 20g)
6g baking powder
Maple syrup or honey as needed

Recommended Equipment

Vitamix, or a blender or food processor that can handle tough ingredients

Instructions

Wash the rice until the water runs just about clear, then add water about 1cm above the rice level. Soak for 2-3 hours before draining.
After draining the rice, prepare all the other ingredients you'll need: fresh milk, butter, coconut nectar sugar, and baking powder.
Put the drained rice into the Vitamix, then add 100g fresh milk and 30g coconut nectar sugar. Blend on high speed for about 1 minute until the mixture becomes smooth, with no grains.
Add 30g butter to the blend (we are using salted butter; if you are using unsalted butter, add a pinch of salt as well). Use the Vitamix on low speed to emulsify the butter with the rice mixture.
Pour the mixture into a bowl and mix in the baking powder. Be sure to mix thoroughly to ensure that the baking powder is completely incorporated into the rice mixture.
Prepare to cook the batter on the stovetop. Heat up a cast iron skillet or non-stick pan. Add a little oil then spread it evenly with a paper towel.
Using a measuring cup or ladle, pour some of the rice batter into the pan.
Once bubbles begin to form in the pancake’s center, flip and cook for another minute. Do this with all the batter until all of it is cooked.
Once the pancakes are done, you can also add fruits or any toppings you like.
Finally, drizzle with maple syrup or honey (but the pancakes are delicious even on their own).

Recipe by: Siang kháu Lū Cultural Kitchen