At this time of year in the UK, there is “Pancake Day” which is not familiar to Japanese people.

Pancake Day is formally known as Shrove Tuesday, a date in the Christian calendar that marks 40 days of Lent before Easter, during which Christians fast. Tradition has it that pancakes were eaten using ingredients you can’t eat fasting.

The pancake is not like a Japanese “hot cake” – it is more like a crepe. People eat them with sugar and lemon juice on the top.

Further, people enjoy “pancake races” on this day at many towns. The race means people run with a frying pan carrying pancakes between two points, and stems from when housewives went to church with a frying pan because they were so busy preparing pancakes.

I am going to introduce how to cook a traditional English pancake. Please try this when you want an alternative to Japanese hot cakes.

(Ingredients)
100g flour
A little salt
2 eggs
200ml milk
50g butter

(Top)
Caster sugar
Lemon juice

(Directions)
1.Add to the large bowl your sifted flour, salt, and eggs and mix well with whisk until the lumps go.

2.Add milk and melted butter and mix more until they get smooth.

3.Rest the mixed ingredients in the fridge for a couple of hours. (The mixed ingredients get smoother in the fridge.)

4.Get the pan hot, add 2 tbsp. oil to the pan. Then turn over when the pancake becomes brown in colour. Repeat on the other side.

5.To serve, sprinkle caster sugar and lemon juice on the top. Enjoy!