Gordon Ramsay’s spicy potato pancakes from Ultimate Cookery Course are thin, crisp Indian-style pancakes filled with turmeric potatoes and served with a yoghurt and coriander sauce. The batter has cumin seeds, green chilli, garlic and ginger toasted straight into it, so the spice runs through every bite rather than sitting only in the filling. Makes 6, serves 2 to 3, and takes about 30 minutes.
He writes that “these spicy pancakes are traditionally served for breakfast in India.” Then adds: “there is no reason why you shouldn’t have them for lunch or supper instead, washed down with beer instead of chai.” He calls them “strangely addictive,” which is the right word once you have had the first one and immediately reach for a second.
The batter rests for 10 minutes after mixing, which lets the flour absorb the milk and gives a smoother pour. Ramsay says to aim for “the consistency of double cream” and add an extra tablespoon of milk if it thickens too much while resting. Too thick and the pancake comes out doughy. Too thin and it tears when you flip.
Gordon Ramsay Spicy Potato Pancakes Recipe
Course: BreakfastCuisine: IndianDifficulty: Easy6
servings15
minutes15
minutes245
kcal30
minutesIndian-inspired savoury pancakes from the spice chapter in Ultimate Cookery Course. Cumin, chilli, garlic and ginger are toasted into the batter itself. Rolled around a turmeric potato filling with yoghurt and coriander on the side. Ramsay says they are “strangely addictive.”
Ingredients
- For the pancake batter:
1 to 2 tsp cumin seeds
Olive oil, for frying
½ to 1 green chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely sliced
3cm (1 inch) piece of fresh root ginger, peeled and finely chopped
125g (4½ oz / 1 cup) plain flour
1 large egg
275ml (9½ fl oz / 1 cup + 2 tbsp) whole milk, plus 1 to 2 tbsp extra
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- For the spiced potato filling:
Olive oil, for frying
1 tsp mustard seeds
½ onion, peeled and thinly sliced
1 tsp ground turmeric
4 to 6 cold, peeled boiled potatoes, roughly chopped
- To serve:
6 tbsp natural yoghurt
2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander
Directions
- Toast the spices: Toast the cumin seeds with a pinch of salt in a dry pan over medium heat for about 1 minute until aromatic. Add a dash of oil and sauté the chilli, garlic and ginger for 2 minutes until softened. Remove from heat.
- Make the batter: Tip the spice mix into a bowl. Sift in the flour, season, and make a well. Break in the egg, add half the milk and whisk slowly until smooth. Add the remaining milk and whisk until the consistency of double cream. Stir in 1 teaspoon of oil. Rest for 10 minutes.
- Make the filling: Heat oil in a large frying pan, add the mustard seeds and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until they begin to pop. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes until golden. Stir in the turmeric and potatoes, fry for 3 to 4 minutes until heated through.
- Cook the pancakes: Heat a large frying pan with a little oil. If the batter has thickened, add a tablespoon of milk. Pour in a ladleful, tilt the pan to spread thinly. Cook for 1 minute until golden and crisp, then flip and cook 1 minute more.
- Serve: Mix the yoghurt and coriander together, season to taste. Place a spoonful of potato filling in the centre of each pancake, add a dollop of yoghurt, then roll into a sausage shape.
FAQs
Why do the potatoes need to be cold and pre-cooked?
Cold boiled potatoes hold their shape when they hit the hot pan with the onions and turmeric. Warm or freshly cooked potatoes break apart and turn to mash the moment you stir them. Ramsay specifies “cold, peeled boiled potatoes” because he wants visible chunks inside the wrap.
The same principle applies to a crispy potato rösti, where cold par-boiled potatoes grate cleanly and hold their texture. Warm potatoes collapse into paste in both recipes.
What makes the mustard seeds pop?
Hot oil. The seeds contain volatile oils that expand rapidly when heated, which is what creates the popping sound. Ramsay cooks them for 1 to 2 minutes in oil before adding anything else, because once they pop they release a nutty flavour that becomes the base of the entire filling.
If the seeds do not pop, the oil is not hot enough. If they burn and go black, the oil was too hot. The window is narrow, which is why he says to add the onion straight after the popping starts, so the temperature drops before the seeds scorch.
Can these be served for lunch or dinner instead of breakfast?
Ramsay says exactly that. The filling is substantial enough for a light meal, and the yoghurt and coriander sauce makes it feel more like a wrap than a breakfast pancake. For a bigger Indian-inspired spread, serve alongside spiced lamb kofta with yoghurt dressing, since the yoghurt works across both dishes.
A cold beer is his suggested pairing, not chai, which tells you he sees this as casual evening food as much as a morning dish.
How are these different from the buttermilk pancakes?
Completely different dish. The buttermilk pancakes from Bread Street Kitchen are thick, sweet American stacks served with blueberries and maple syrup. These are thin, savoury Indian wraps filled with curried potato and rolled into a sausage shape.
The batter is different too. The buttermilk version separates the eggs and folds whisked whites for height. This one uses a single whole egg and rests for 10 minutes, aiming for a thin pour that spreads across the pan like a crepe.
What other Indian-influenced breakfasts does Ramsay make?
For another morning dish built on the same spice family, smoked haddock kedgeree uses cumin, turmeric and mustard seeds in the same way. The kedgeree is heavier with rice and fish, while these pancakes are lighter and faster.
The mustard seed technique works identically in both dishes: heat oil, add seeds, wait for the pop, then build everything on top of that flavour base.
