Tropical Rice Pancakes with Mango Habanero Sauce

I had a dream… And like most of my dreams it involved food. In this case, rice pancakes. As happens with a lot of our recipes, inspiration comes from the great beyond: the place where so much of our past went to rest. People, places, moments. It’s funny how so many of these memories have some specific food somehow attached to them so vividly.

My Hungarian Tanti (that’s ‘Aunt’ to many of you) was somewhat of my guardian when I first moved to New York City at the onset of my twenties. She took ‘watching over me’ very seriously, I must tell you. Sometimes I wasn’t too happy about it either. She used to call me at my office all the time just to ‘check in on me’. She called so much that everyone there knew her as ‘Tanti’ too. There was many a man who phoned me at home and was turned away with a harsh Hungarian reprimand. Tanti fielded all my calls.

Apparently, I was never ‘in’. I would wonder what happened; “I thought he really liked me,” I would moan. And she would suddenly blurt out something like, ” He sounded like an old man – too old for you” and continue about her business in the kitchen. Even if I cried, she had no regret in making certain that I was completely unavailable. But, to make me feel better, she would make rice pancakes.

Rice Pancakes Rock!

Rice pancakes were a total treat to come home to. Better than anything. They were very simple but fat and full of white rice and served with maple syrup it was like having dessert for dinner. Frankly, rice pancakes were good at any time of the day and always felt like a real treat. Not that long ago, I’d make them for my Bed and Breakfast guests too – but never without putting some aside for my own house! They are the ultimate comfort food.

I just had to make a raw version. So I went bananas…

This is not my Tanti’s plain rice pancakes recipe. I decided to put a little spin on it and make it tropical and fruity with a base of banana and coconut and a smattering of pineapple. And on top of that I substituted the the white rice with forbidden rice and the maple syrup with a mango/ lime sauce spiced up with some red habanero peppers. Although, honestly, they’d taste great with the maple syrup too. I doubt my Tanti ever ate a mango in her entire life.

The people around here were very dubious about the whole raw pancake thing but it turned out that all their worry was unfounded: everyone loved them. I mean, what’s not to love? Bananas? Good! Coconut? Good! Rice? Good! Like I said: the best comfort food ever. Smiles all around.

I think Tanti would have liked them too.

RAW VEGAN RECIPE: Tropical Rice Pancakes with Mango Habanero Sauce

For The Tropical Rice Raw Pancakes:

4 bananas, chopped

meat from one young Thai coconut

3/4 cup oats

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3/4 cup forbidden rice, sprouted*

1/2 -3/4 cup fresh pineapple, chopped fine

Begin by processing the coconut in a food processor until fine.

Add the oats and continue to process until mixture is ‘mushy’.

Add chopped banana, vanilla extract and nutmeg and process until mixture is thick but still has texture (should still have some banana bits a tiny bit chunky.)

Stir in rice and pinapple to thouroughly combine.

Using a large spoon or wondercup, form pancakes dehydrator trays lined with Teflex sheets.

Set dehydrator for 115 degrees Fahrenheit and dehydrate for three to four hours before flipping over onto mesh dehydrator sheets. At this point the outside of the pancakes should still be a little bit moist.

Dehydrate for approximately four hours more. Outside of pancakes should be just set while inside is a little moist. MAKES 8-9 pancakes

For The Mango Habanero Sauce:

1 cup mango pieces (can be frozen)

1/2 red habanero pepper, minced

juice of 1/2 a large lime or 1 small lime

In a Vitamix or high speed blender, combine all ingredients and process until smooth.

To Serve:

Place pancakes on plate to overlap. Drizzle with Mango Habanero Sauce and scatter with chopped mango pieces and shaved coconut (optional).