Not many people have eaten corn "pancakes", but for me, these adapted  3-corn sourdough griddle cakes brings back fond memories.  My grandmother in South Africa often made corn pancakes for me.  I recall sitting in the corner of her kitchen while she fried up corn pancakes which I absolutely loved.  This recipe is similar to Grandma's except I've incorporated some sourdough, frozen corn niblets and corn meal into my grandmother's version.

I recently made this recipe for my parents which I served with whipped honey butter and they loved it.  If sourdough starter is not available,  substituted the starter with all purpose flour.  Sourdough adds tanginess to the recipe. The tanginess from the sourdough starter, combined with the savoriness from the creamed corn and the sweetness from the honey butter creates a real complex taste.  The corn meal adds a different texture than regular pancakes. The individual corn niblets, scattered through the griddle cake, adds a satisfying crunch with every bite.  Not only does the sourdough contribute to the taste of the pancake, but also  enhances the nutrition of these cakes.  See below.

Tips for making 3-corn sourdough griddle cakes

Sourdough starter

This recipe uses sourdough starter as a levening or rising agent as well as for its lactic acid bacteria which helps break down the corn meal.  An interesting research study was done to improve the health benefits of the staple maize flour in Africa.  The lactic acid bacteria found in kefir, sourdough and yoghurt breaks down the hard-to-digest components of the corn meal, reduces the sugars, increases the protein and mineral content for the body to easily absorb.  Unlike when making sourdough bread, the starter needs to be completely mixed into the egg with no sourdough lumps visible. Otherwise, there will be bits of sourdough in the griddle cake.

Corn types

As mentioned earlier, 3 forms of corn are used: canned cream corn, corn meal and corn niblets (fresh or frozen).  Corn meal requires rehydrating so that it is easier to cook so allow the "batter" to rest for at least 15 minutes but preferably overnight to allow the sourdough to break down the corn meal.  For the corn niblets, frozen corn or fresh corn can be used.  Roasting the corn on the stovetop adds a wonderful smokiness to the griddle cakes.

Cooking the griddle cakes.

Cook the griddle cakes on medium heat in a non-stick skillet and lightly spritz the pan with oil for the initial set of pancakes.  The pancakes are ready to flip with the sides appear to be cooked and holes start to appear on the top of the griddle cakes.

3-corn sourdough giddle cakes accompaniments

These pancakes can be made either savory or sweet.  For savory pancakes, serve them with sour cream and garnish with chives.  You can also add 1/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese and 1 tablespoon of chopped jalapeno for some cheesy jalapeno savory corn griddle cakes.

My favorite is to complement the savoriness of the creamed corn with whipped honey butter by combining softened butter with honey at a 2:1 butter to honey ratio.

Enjoy and let me know what you think in the comment section.