This is a real crowd pleaser. Those rhubarb crêpes are deliciously sweet, a little tangy, just the right amount of spicy. The addition of ginger makes it warming and fiery giving the recipe a little unexpected kick. Rhubarb and rose petals take it from good and modest to ‘oh yes, give me more’. Those rhubarb crêpes might look innocent at first glance but they are a real heart-breaker and you will come back wanting more. And why shouldn’t you? They are full of goodness and taste absolutely delicious!
Let’s dive into the reasons why you would want to try this superfood.
Rhubarb benefits
It might come as a surprise but rhubarb is actually a vegetable- a distant cousin of buckwheat. The distinction between fruits and vegetables sometimes produces a fierce discussion. As a matter of curiosity, you can remember that in mid XX in the USA it was classified as a fruit because that meant… lower import tariffs than vegetables.
Whether you think of it as a vegetable or fruit, it’s definitely worth adding it to your diet.
I has a high content of:
- calcium
- vitamin A
- vitamin C
- vitamin K
- potassium
- folate
- manganese
- magnesium
Rhubarb has been known for centuries for its health benefits.
I helps prevent premature aging, improves bone and hearth health, reduces inflammation and helps digestion. Due to sennosides content it can work as a natural laxative but at the same time it has anti-diarrhea properties because of tannins. So for whatever reason your belly is upset, you might want to retreat to rhubarb for a natural (and delicious!) remedy.
Who should avoid rhubarb
Fair warning to those on blood-thinning medication. The high content of vitamin K is not your friend and therefore you might want to avoid rhubarb (or at least consult it with your doctor first).
People prone to kidney stones should also avoid rhubarb too due its high content of calcium oxalate. It is the very same substance that makes spinach, beetroot and chocolate a bad choice for you.
Rose petals
Rose petals can be a little tricky to find in a shop- unless you have a proper bougie corner shop, it will probably require a visit to a bigger supermarket or a quick online search. I use those which are perfectly sweet and smell wonderfully. Whichever option you go for, make sure you get edible rose petals. Don’t worry, they have so many uses in the kitchen you will not regret getting them. I like to add a teaspoon of rose petals to my raita and garlic sauce to make it even more flavoursome. Not to mention thousands of uses in sweet dishes.
Ginger paste
Staple in my kitchen as I use it in curries and hot drinks on weekly basis. Over the years I learned it’s one of those things that is worth paying a little extra for. A slightly cheaper version has a higher content of water which means it goes off quicker. You can always freeze it in small batches but it will have less of a kick.
Bougie rhubarb crêpes
Ingredients
For crêpes
- 1 egg
- 300 ml plant based milk
- 150 g plain flour
- 1 tbsp sugar
- a pinch of salt
For filling
- 350 g rhubarb
- 50 g sugar (about 4 spoons)
- 1 tbsp water
- 1 tsp almond extract
- ⅛ tsp ginger paste
Garnish
- icing sugar
- rose petals
Instructions
- Measure flour in a big bowl. Add salt and sugar. Crack in egg and whisk together. Now slowly start adding milk and whisk until thoroughly combined. Make sure you mix it well until adding more milk as to avoid clumps. Set to rest for half an hour in a fridge.
- Cut rhubarb into pieces, add to a pot with sugar and a spoon of water, almond extract, ginger paste and set on medium heat, keep the lid on, it will cook faster. It only takes around 15 minutes for them to soften and become all mashed and delicious. Once they are cooked and start to fall apart, take it off the heat and keep it on the side.
- When your pancake batter has rested enough, put some oil on a heavy bottomed pan and using kitchen towel transfer it all over making sure every inch of pan is oiled just a little bit (you want the tiniest amount of oil distributed evenly). Put on medium heat and make sure it's hot enough before you pour the batter. The first pancake usually doesn't work out so don't be upset if that happens to you. Use the kitchen towel to add a bit of more oil (I keep a little ramekin with oil on the side and dip kitchen towel in it before each pancake). Be careful when you add more oil, the pan is very hot! Pour batter and move the pan around to distribute a thin layer evenly. Let it cook for about a minute or two; You should see the edges crisping and slightly lifting if the pan was heated and oiled properly. You might need to lift the edges first with a spatula if it's a little sticky. Flip pancake to cook on the other side for another minute.
- Fill with rhubarb you prepared and serve hot or pack for lunch later. Garnishing with icing sugar and rose petals brings them to another level so if you only can, don't skip this step.
