Breakfast
Oladi (Kefir Pancakes)
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Prep
10 min
Cook
15 min
Total
25 min
Serves
Makes about 16 small pancakes (serves 4)
Thick, fluffy, and tangy from kefir, oladi are small drop pancakes that puff as they fry. They land somewhere between an American pancake and a fritter, crisp at the edges and soft in the middle, ready in minutes from one bowl.
Ingredients
- 2 cups (480 ml) kefir, at room temperature
- 1 egg
- 2 tbsp sugar
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- 1¾ cups (220 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- neutral oil, for frying
Instructions
- 1Whisk the kefir, egg, sugar, and salt together until smooth.
- 2Add the flour and baking soda and stir into a thick batter. Do not overmix; a few lumps are fine. Let it rest for 10 minutes, until it bubbles and thickens.
- 3Heat a thin film of oil in a skillet over medium heat.
- 4Drop heaping tablespoons of batter into the pan, leaving room between them.
- 5Fry for 2 to 3 minutes, until the tops set with small holes and the undersides are deep golden. Flip and cook 1 to 2 minutes more.
- 6Drain briefly and serve warm.
Cook's Note
Do not stir the batter after it rests; stirring knocks out the gas that makes them rise. Keep the batter thick enough to hold its shape on the spoon.
Best Served With
Sour cream and jam, or honey. Black tea or coffee.
Why This Recipe Works
Kefir is acidic, and when it meets baking soda the batter fills with gas on contact. Resting lets those bubbles build, so the oladi puff thick in the hot oil instead of spreading flat. The acid also keeps the crumb tender.
Make It Yours
- Fold sliced apple or raisins into the batter.
- Add vanilla or lemon zest.
- Serve with sour cream, jam, honey, or a dusting of powdered sugar.
Leftover Strategy
Best fresh, but they reheat in a dry pan or toaster. The batter does not keep once mixed, so fry it all.
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