Fluffiest pancakes

This recipe uses all the tricks of the trade to get fluffy pancakes:  acid (in the buttermilk), air (in the eggwhites), gas (in the chemical reaction of the baking powder and the yeast), and not too much gluten (hence the cake flour).  And since the fibre of the okara is “invisible”, neither you nor the kids will realize just how good for you they are as you wolf them down.

Ingredients:

2 eggs, separated

2 cups buttermilk, or milk mixed with a couple of tablespoons yoghurt

1 2/3 cups cake flour

1 cup okara, firmly packed

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. instant yeast (opt.)

1/4 tsp. salt

cooking spray

Method:

1. The secret to fluffy pancakes, other than using acid, air, and gas, is to be quick.  If you take too long making the mixture, the gas and air will dissipate.  Put the griddle on over a medium heat, and have all the ingredients, measured and ready to go before you begin.

2. Put egg whites in a mixing bowl.  Beat with an electric beater with a pinch of salt until stiff.  In another bowl, beat remaining ingredients with the electric beater.  Fold in egg whites.

3. Coat griddle with cooking spray and pour ladlesful of pancake mixture.  When bubbles appear on the surface of the pancakes, flip them over, and cook until golden on the second side.  Keep warm while cooking remaining mixture (unless everyone is already and waiting at the table, in which case simply cook and serve, cook and serve, cook and serve… you get the idea).  Serve with your favourite pancake toppings.  

Chewy apricot bars

Another one of my favourites.  It’s hard stopping at just one bar!  If you would like the bars a little less chewy, reduce the honey to 1 tbsp.

Ingredients:

2 cups Toasted coconut okara

1 cup corn flakes

1/2 cup raw sugar

1/2 cup chopped dried apricots

1/4 cup chopped pecans

1/2 cup butter

2 tbsp. honey

cooking spray

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180oC.  Spray a 20x30cm pan with cooking spray and cover the bottom with baking parchment.

2. Combine all dry ingredients in a bowl.  Melt butter and honey together over low heat, and add to dry ingredients.  Press mixture firmly into baking pan, and bake for about 25 min., until golden.  (Mixture won’t be set in the middle.)  Allow to cool completely in pan before cutting into bars.

Okara macaroons

Remember when macarons were called macaroons?  And remember when they didn't have "feet" or pretensions to greatness?  That's because they don't need to.  They're yummy enough as they are.

(Makes about 20)

Ingredients:

1 egg, separated

pinch salt

1/3 cup sugar

1 1/2 cups Toasted coconut okara

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 160oC.  Cover cookie sheet with non-stick baking parchment.  Beat egg white with salt until soft peaks form.  Beat in egg yolk.  Gradually add sugar, and beat until sugar crystals are dissolved.  Stir in Toasted Coconut Okara, and mix.

2. Drop level tablespoonfuls of mixture onto cookie sheet.  Bake 15-20 min., until golden.  Cool on cookie sheet.

Thai soy cakes

Other than the breads (which don’t really count seeing as they’re the Staff of Life and everything), this is my favourite way with okara.

(Makes 12 soy cakes)

Ingredients:

1 cup okara, firmly packed

150g tofu

3/4 cup rolled oats (not instant oats)

2 slices fresh bread, cut into pieces

1 Spanish onion, finely chopped

1 tbsp. minced garlic

1 tbsp. sweet chili sauce

1 tbsp. chopped mint

3 tbsp. chopped coriander (cilantro)

1 tsp. salt

1 egg

cooking spray

extra sweet chili sauce, or fresh salsa of your choice, to serve

Method:

1. Place all ingredients in a bowl, and mix with your hands, mashing the tofu and the bread as you go, until well combined and cohesive.  Allow mixture to rest 20-30 min.

2. Heat griddle over medium heat and coat with cooking spray.  Form mixture into 12 cakes.  Cook cakes for a few minutes on each side until golden.  Serve with sweet chili sauce or the fresh salsa of your choice.

Okara Anzacs

An Australian institution, Anzac biscuits (that’s cookies to you folks in the US) have their origins back in WWI, when they were made to send in packages to the Australian and New Zealand soldiers fighting in the trenches in Europe.  Here I have replaced the traditional coconut with okara.  If you would like a chewier biscuit add just a smidgin more golden syrup.

(Makes about 35 biscuits/cookies)

Ingredients:

1 cup rolled oats

1 cup flour

1 cup sugar

3/4 cup toasted coconut okara

1/2 cup butter

2 tbsp. golden syrup

1/2 tsp. bicarb. soda (baking soda)

1 tbsp. boiling water

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 150oC.  Combine oats, flour, sugar, and Toasted Coconut Okara in a bowl.  Melt butter and golden syrup together over low heat.  Dissolve bicarb in boiling water, and add to butter mixture.  Add butter mixture to dry ingredients, and stir to combine.

2. Drop teaspoonfuls of mixture onto lightly-greased cookie sheets, allowing room for spreading.  Bake for 20 min.  Loosen from trays while still warm, but allow to cool on trays.

Toasted coconut okara

This recipe is adapted from a recipe in Shurtleff and Aoyagi’s “The Book of Tofu” for something called “Okara Granola”.  The original recipe uses vanilla instead of coconut essence, and is great as a sprinkle on many things: I have a couple of tablespoonfuls over my cereal in the morning, and incorporate it into cookies and brownies and things.  This coconutty variation opens up a world of possibilities: if you give your own imagination a chance, you’ll find no shortage of ideas for using either the original or this recipe.

Ingredients:

2 cups okara

1/4 cup honey

2 tbsp. grapeseed oil

1 tbsp. natural coconut essence

pinch of salt

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180oC.  Combine all ingredients, and place in a large baking pan.  Cook for 1 1/4 hours, stirring occasionally, until golden.  The house will smell beautiful!  Cool, and store in an airtight container until needed.