On the drive home from the Province of Buenos Aires back to the city capital this weekend, it suddenly dawned on me why I’m a city girl at heart.
It’s not only because I was born in a city of 5 million people back in Singapore.
Or that I currently live in Buenos Aires, the Argentine capital whose night life lasts till the breaking of dawn.
There is just something extremely comforting about bright lights illuminating the dark night sky, and the constant sounds of traffic passing by. Something I can’t exactly pin-point makes me feel right at home, amidst the smog and soot of a polluted city, and the never-ending crowds which fill the streets, of which I am proud to be one amongst millions of unknown faces.
It’s the feeling of being part of something which is much bigger than I am, yet knowing that I play an important role in forming the city, just as everyone else out there.
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It’s the cozy familiarity of the metropolitan landscape and fast-paced life that I have become used to and which now forms part of my identity, a rhythm I have grown to love and embrace and adapted to, many times preferring the higher frequency to a slower speed in life.
It’s also knowing that there are so many fun things to do, so many incredible places to explore, and millions of people whose paths I might one day cross, and so many stories which I will either be a part of or be witness to with the unfolding of time.
Being in the city thrills me. It’s exhilarating. It’s become a part of me and the stories I have to tell.
Of course, there are days during which I need some recuperation, a little relaxation from the constant buzz of the city’s lights and sounds, and just want to laze at home, away from the crowds and hype.
Just a short while to refresh myself and regain energy for the week ahead, chilling with a good book and the newspapers, together with a calorie-packed brunch to pump up my energy.
A lazy Saturday + Pancakes.
On my last weekend in Buenos Aires before heading back to Asia for my holidays, Juan and I decided to stay in and relax on Saturday after a late Friday night spent outside with friends, drinks and electronic dance music.
Because we had woken up late, we needed an antidote of brunch rather than a heavy savory lunch.
Something sweet to ease us out of sleep, but also substantial enough to last the day.
Naturally, we fell back on one of our favorite brunch options – thick, fat, American pancakes, but this time with a twist.
Thick, fat, American pancakes
A hint of bananas, naturally sweet and fragrant, mixed into a pancake batter, and later cooked in a slightly-oiled pan, then eaten heartily with fresh-cut bananas and a generous helping of maple syrup.
Banana pancakes with fresh-cut bananas and maple syrup
Amazing pancakes which remind us of Boracay, Philippines, where we ate pancakes for breakfast every morning.
Banana pancake paradise
Cut vertically, a thick wedge of banana pancakes dripping with maple syrup makes a great way to start the day.
Banana pancakes – a great start to any day!
BANANA PANCAKES (Makes 10 pancakes)
Adapted from All Recipes’ Banana Pancakes I recipe
Ingredients:
1) 1 cup of self-raising flour (or 1 cup of all-purpose flour + 2 teaspoons of baking powder)
2) 1 tablespoon of sugar
3) 1/4 teaspoon of salt
4) 1 egg, beaten
5) 1 cup of milk
6) 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
7) 2 bananas, mashed
Steps:
1) Mix flour, sugar and salt in a bowl
2) In another bowl, mix egg, milk, oil and mashed bananas
3) Pour banana mixture over flour mixture
4) Stir well to get pancake batter (batter will be slightly lumpy, it’s ok)
5) Heat a lightly-oiled frying pan over medium-high heat
6) Using 1/4 cup of for each pancake, pour batter in a circle onto the pan
7) Flip pancake over when bottom side is golden brown, and cook till both sides are golden brown
8) Serve with cut bananas and maple syrup
Fresh cut bananas:
Mashed bananas:
Mix egg, milk, oil and mashed bananas:
To get banana mixture:
Pour banana mixture over flour mixture and stir well to get pancake mixture:
Use 1/4 cup of batter for each pancake:
Heat a lightly-oiled frying pan over medium-high heat, and pour batter in a cirle onto the pan:
Flip pancake over when bottom side is golden brown, and cook till both sides are golden brown:
A pile of pancakes:
Serve with cut bananas and maple syrup:
These are great! I second the coconut oil. Definitely try to find some. You’ll love it. Thanks so much for sharing these during our Iron Chef Cook Off on Our Little Family Adventure. Be sure to invite others to stop by and like your recipe on our wall. The winner will be crowned (announced) Friday)
Thanks for dropping by Nicky! Definitely will stop by and see who wins this Friday! Have a great week!!
I like to use coconut oil instead of vegetable or canola oil in baked goods….same results, healthier and a slight hint of coconut!
Hi Ansley! Thanks for the tip! I’ve never tried cooking with coconut oil because I’ve never seen it available in Argentina! But maybe I should try it one day since it seems so many people are recommending it! Thanks for reading & happy weekend!
Your killing me I adore bananas, and I do not. Have any! I love bananas in any shape, form or fashion!
Hey Mary! Thanks for dropping by my blog! If u can get bananas to make these for brunch, I assure u you won’t regret it! Have a good weekend!
Pancakes are one of my favorite breakfast items and I love bananas. Thanks for sharing this awesome recipe will have to give it a try. I also like doing breakfast for dinner once in awhile.
Hi Lucy!
Actually I rarely eat breakfast for dinner, but I’m certain that if I were to choose a breakfast dish to have for dinner, I most certainly would eat pancakes. plus with the hint of bananas in them, it would feel like im eating dinner & dessert at the same time 🙂
OMG PANCAKES!! Lol my family, including yours truly, have very bad track records for making pancakes. Most of the time we just give up and go to the diner for them. BUT if I were ever to brave making them again, I would totes try these out. Bananas AND pancakes? Delicious combo 😀 And coming from a wanna-be city girl, I’m so jealous that you get to live in a capital city!
Jess…!
you soooo have to try these pancakes out! it’s really easy and plus, frying stuff in a pan is much easier than baking (which you’re totally great at!) so this should be a piece of (pan)cake! – yes pun intended!
And i love bananas, i can’t think of how any recipe with bananas can possibly go wrong! because even the pancake batter tastes delicious thanks to the lovely taste of bananas!!
I love the city! and don’t be jealous! I’m sure things are good in New Jersey too 😉 One day I will have to visit New York, and if I do so, I will have to meet you in NJ!!!
Hi, my beautiful friend! I always tell Tim that we should live on a farm. That way, I can tend to my chickens, pigs, horses, grow beautiful vegetables in our massive backyard…He just laughs at me bc he knows all too well of my ignorance.
This is not to say that I’m a city girl. It’s fun visiting places like Seoul, NYC, Mexico City…but I would not want to live there. I’ve gotten too accustomed to Southern hospitality ;). Hence, Austin is perfect for me.
I haven’t had pancakes in such a long time! I remember the first time I ever made them. I wanted to impress my mom, and treat her to a hearty bfast (my ambitious 12 year old self). However, she was horrified when she saw how I was pressing the life out of it with a spatula like I would a Korean pancake. Let’s just say that they were def not “fluffy.”
Hope you have a wonderful week!!
Hahah, Min, you’re so cute! I’m trying to imagine your mum’s horrified face but Im sure she must have been impressed that at 12 years old you were trying to cook for her 🙂
Well.. regarding living in a city – perhaps it could be that I have never lived in the suburbs near the countryside and hence I never experienced the other type of non-city life. I’ve been on farmstays in Australia and New Zealand before but I think it could be quite different!
🙂 flying off to Singapore soon! so excited to be home!!
hugs!!
One of my absolute favorite breakfasts! Thanks so much for stopping by Main St. I’m glad to be visiting your lovely site today.
Thanks for stopping by my site too! Pancakes are such a lovely way to start a morning, aren’t they? 🙂
yum….!!!
they were yum! 🙂 hope you had a good weekend Ruthanne!!
You’re right,Felicia, maybe soya milk would do.
LoL
I absolutely love banana pancakes! This recipe looks really good as well, definitely going to try it out next time, thanks!
Hi!
Thanks for following my blog! Glad you liked this banana pancake recipe – it was really easy to follow and the results were really good 🙂 Plus, we ate so many pancakes it kept it full all the way till dinner 🙂
Have fun experimenting with this recipe! Hope you like the way these banana pancakes taste!
Your recipes are always interesting and well documented…..
Thank you for this one ,which will delight Rene’!
Hello Anna!
Hope you had a nice weekend with Rene!
Glad you liked this pancakes recipe. If you don’t want to add milk because of your lactose intolerance, perhaps you can try with water?
Not sure if it will turn out the same though..
You could be my daughter but you behave ad if you were my mom…..so protective and caring!
Thanks so much!
P.S.what about coco milk?
A kiss
A.
Hmmm i think coco milk might take away the taste of the bananas….! I wouldn’t recommend it.
Looks so good. I think I’ll make this for dinner one night since. I’m a fan of breakfast foods for dinner 🙂
Hello!
Now that you’ve mentioned it – eating breakfast for dinner sounds like a completely cool option. I’ve never tried that because dinner always has to be savory for me, but perhaps I could vary and give my taste buds a little treat one day – breakfast for dinner!
thanks for dropping by! 🙂 have a great week!