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Giyaling
گیالنگ (giyaling): thin Hunza buckwheat pancakes eaten with butter and apricot oil
Buckwheat, known locally as bro, grows in the cold upper villages of Hunza and Nagar where wheat struggles, and giyaling are the thin, lacy pancakes made from its flour for breakfast. The batter is no more than buckwheat flour, water and a little milk, poured thin onto a hot griddle so the pancakes cook in a minute or two, with crisp edges and an earthy, nutty flavour. They are stacked and eaten warm, smeared with butter and a few drops of apricot-kernel oil, sometimes with a drizzle of honey and always with tea, especially on cold mornings. A thick, gloopy batter is the frequent mistake, because it makes heavy, raw-tasting pancakes. Chef's tip: rest the batter for 15 minutes, then thin it to the consistency of single cream, and buy flour labelled gluten-free if that matters to you, as buckwheat is often milled alongside wheat.
- Total time
- 35 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the batter
To serve
- 1 ⅜ oz buttersoftened
- 1 tbsp culinary apricot-kernel oil or walnut oil (optional)
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Whisk 7 oz gluten-free buckwheat flour and 1 /2 tsp salt with ¾ cup milk and most of 1 cup water to a smooth batter.
2 minStep 2: Rest for 15 minutes, then whisk in the remaining water as needed so the batter flows like single cream.
15 minStep 3: Heat a griddle or non-stick frying pan over a medium heat and wipe it with a little ⅔ oz butter.
2 minStep 4: Pour in a small ladleful of batter and swirl to coat the pan thinly; cook for about 1 minute until the top looks dry and the edges lift.
2 minStep 5: Flip and cook for 30–40 seconds more, then stack on a warm plate; repeat with the rest, buttering the pan between pancakes.
1 minStep 6: Spread each pancake with 1 ⅜ oz butter, drizzle with 1 tbsp culinary apricot-kernel oil or walnut oil and serve warm with tea.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 290 kcal
- Protein
- 8 g
- Carbs
- 38 g
- Fat
- 13 g
- Fibre
- 5 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does giyaling take?
- About 35 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of milk?
- Oat, soy or almond milk, same amount (use unsweetened for savoury dishes).
- What can I use instead of butter?
- The same weight of ghee or coconut oil (for frying and most baking).
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