Vegetable Griddle Cakes Recipe

Soak and cook beans

Rinse the navy beans and place in a bowl with 3 cups of water. Soak at room temperature for at least 2 hours or overnight. Drain, then transfer to a pot with 3 cups fresh water, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until very tender, 45–60 minutes. Drain any excess water but reserve 1/2 cup of cooking liquid. Mash or purée the cooked beans with a potato masher or in a blender/food processor until mostly smooth but still slightly textured; you should have about 1 1/2 cups bean purée.

Sauté vegetables

While beans cook, heat 2 tbs olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the finely chopped onion and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add minced garlic and grated carrot; cook 2–3 minutes until softened. Add corn kernels and cook 1 minute more. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.

Make batter

In a large bowl combine the bean purée, sautéed vegetables, flour, baking powder, ground cumin, smoked paprika, salt and black pepper. Stir in the egg and milk (or flax egg + plant milk) and chopped cilantro. If the mixture seems too dry, add up to the reserved 1/2 cup bean cooking liquid 1 tablespoon at a time until the batter is scoopable but holds its shape; the correct consistency is similar to thick pancake batter.

Cook griddle cakes

Heat a nonstick skillet or griddle over medium heat and add 1 tbs vegetable oil. For each cake, spoon 1/4 cup batter onto the skillet and flatten slightly with the back of the spoon to form 3–3.5 inch rounds. Cook 3–4 minutes until golden brown and crisp on the bottom, then carefully flip and cook another 3–4 minutes until cooked through and crisp. Adjust heat as needed to avoid burning. Work in batches, adding more oil between batches. Keep finished cakes warm on a baking sheet in a 200°F (95°C) oven while you cook the rest.

Combine julienned mango, thinly sliced red cabbage, shredded carrot and green onion in a mixing bowl.

In a small bowl whisk together lime juice, honey or agave, rice vinegar, toasted sesame oil, salt and black pepper until the honey dissolves. Taste and adjust acidity or sweetness as needed.

Pour the dressing over the mango-cabbage mixture and toss gently to combine. Fold in chopped cilantro. Let sit 10 minutes at room temperature for flavors to meld or refrigerate up to 1 hour. Toss again before serving.

Plate 2–3 griddle cakes per serving. Top or serve alongside a generous spoonful (about 1/3 cup) of mango slaw. Add a dollop (1–2 tbs) of plain or vegan yogurt if using, sprinkle with chili flakes for heat if desired, and serve with lime wedges to squeeze over the cakes and slaw.

Leftovers: refrigerate bean cakes and slaw separately in airtight containers for up to 3 days. Reheat cakes in a skillet or oven until crisp; toss slaw briefly before serving.