My Babushka’s Vegan Blini (Russian Pancakes! Happy Maslenitsa!)

Living with my Babushka, Marina Nikolaevna, has been замечательно so far. (Awesome). I have woken up on more than one occasion to her watching Russia’s answer to the Home Shopping Network and yelling at the TV whether she thought the prices were fair. From what I’ve gathered, they really aren’t.

Aside from being a highly opinionated shopper, my Bab is a great cook. She has exhibited every day since my arrival in the ice box we call Russia a characteristic which I value above all else in the kitchen: flexibility. Russia, as I have said before, is not a country for vegetarians. I’m fairly sure that smetana (sour cream) courses through Russians’ veins instead of blood (either that or vodka). My babushka has made delicious vegan meals for me day after day, noting what she leaves out from their meaty/eggy/cottage cheese-y equivalents. Still, when Maslenitsa arrived on the horizon she looked at me skeptically. You see, Maslenitsa is a week-long folk carnival with pagan/Orthodox roots that revolves mainly around eating these skinny pancakes called blini. Blini resemble French crêpes and are typically made with milk and eggs. When I assured her that it could be done my babushka gave me this look usually reserved for when I try to leave the house without a hat but agreed to try it out.

The result? Amazing. I had seven of them tonight and plan on having at least another dozen tomorrow morning. The secrets to the perfect blini are as follows:

• a very hot skillet. Cast iron. Small if you have/can find one! My babushka has one she uses exclusively for blini. Heat until it starts to smoke
• a very thin layer of oil. She uses sunflower and I recommend it, though coconut would probably be delicious too
• a thin, flat knife for flipping. I have attempted similar endeavors with a spatula and it will. not. work.
• take a small ladle and spoon it onto the skillet. Pick the skillet up and swivel your wrist to spread a thin layer all over the base. Don’t worry if they’re not perfectly round but aim to reach the edges
• patience! the first one will always suck. The second one will almost always suck. The third one will be a little burnt but good. By the end they’ll be perfect and golden like sunshine.

My Babushka’s Blini

She refuses to give me measurements for anything so this is from observing. Basically you want to achieve a loose batter which is much more watery than that of “pancakes” but has some girth to it when you pick it up with a spoon. Add flour and water as necessary plus salt/sugar to taste.

• 4 cups water
• 2 cups wheat flour
• 3 Tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 Tablespoons sunflower oil, plus more for the pan

1. Combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl and use a handheld mixer to stir. I would say just use a spoon but you reallllly want it to be smooth so borrow one from a friend or your grandma. Mix until all ingredients are incorporated.

2. Heat a small skillet over medium heat. Once it starts to smoke reduce to a low flame. Add a bit of oil to your skillet. Holding the pan in your hand, spoon in a medium ladle’s worth of batter and swivel with your wrist to spread the batter over the base. Cook until the center solidifies and bubbles a bit, 3-4 minutes or longer. Pop any large bubbles with a knife.

3. Flip! Use your flat knife to loosen the edges then lift from the center. As my Bab said infinity times “the second side cooks quickly!” so you’ll only need to cook it another minute or so.

Enjoy with: jam, fruit, vegan nutella, nut butters, maple syrup, chocolate, whatever! They’re also amazing with savory so take that wherever your heart desires. As long as you’re wearing your hat.

Chickpea Crêpes with Indian-Spiced Sweet Potato & Golden Raisin Filling

I like getting fancy.

There’s something kind of magical about donning an article of clothing free of wrinkles, strapping on shoes that close without frayed shoelaces, and combing out the dread locks steadily forming on the back of my head. For me, getting dressed up gives me hope that I will one day neither get dressed out of my hamper nor use the old “baby powder in the hair” trick. Yes, formal occasions are great but around here they’re often few and far between. That’s why I was elated to get an invitation last week to my friends Jenna and Andrew’s formal dinner party. Wine? Check. High heels? Check. H’ors d’eouvres? Check. [Looking up how to spell ‘h’ors d’eouvres? Check.]

Lots of class and lots of sass ensued.

Because I so rarely get to make fancy little appetizer treat nuggets I decided to experiment with something new. I recently purchased chickpea flour, ‘cuz, well, you know me. Comin’ up hot, fresh off the press: way numero ocho to love a chickpea.

I had read about making chickpea crêpes before and decided to give it a whirl. I whipped up the filling with a sort of Indian-inspired flavor and it all worked incredibly well. I made the pancakes different sizes but I preferred them thin and small so they could be eaten with hands and in a few bites.

Indian-Spiced Sweet Potato Mash

• 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1 red onion, minced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
• 1 small jalapeño pepper, diced (optional)
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• 1 teaspoon coriander
• 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1 cup golden raisins + extra for garnish
• 1/4 cup shredded coconut (for garnish, optional)
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds (for garnish, optional)

1. Cook the sweet potato as desired until soft (oven: roast with skin on 40-45 minutes at 400º, stovetop: bring a large pot of water to boil & add the sweet potato, cook 20-25 minutes, microwave: cook each potato 7-9 minutes on high). About 10 minutes before the potatoes done, move on to step 2.

2. Pour the olive oil into a skillet and heat over a medium flame. Add the diced red onion and garlic and sauté 4-5 minutes, until lightly browned. Add the ginger, jalapeño, cumin, coriander, and salt and cook 3-4 more minutes. Remove from heat.

3. In a large bowl, mash the sweet potatoes, then add the spiced onion mixture and stir well. Add the lime juice and raisins and mix to incorporate.

[These mashed sweet potatoes are fantastic on their own, definitely feel free to serve/devour with or without the crêpes].

Chickpea Flour Crêpes

• 2 1/4 cups water
• 2 cups chickpea flour
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil, plus more for frying
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons cumin

1. In a large bowl, stir or whisk together the chickpea flour and water. Whisk in the 2 Tablespoons of olive oil, salt, and cumin. Allow to sit 10-15 minutes.

2. Heat a skillet with a light film of olive oil over medium heat. When the oil is hot but not smoking, add 1/4 cup of batter and cook until lightly browned around the edges, 2-3 minutes. Turn the pancake over and cook about one more minute. Repeat with the remaining batter, adjusting to make smaller or larger pancakes and adding a bit of oil to the pan each time.

To assemble: Simply take a crêpe and add 1-2 Tablespoons of filling. Sprinkle with golden raisins, sliced almonds, and coconut.

SERVE TO HAPPY FORMALLY DRESSED PEOPLE. Or to yourself for dinner.