Zucchini Pancakes (Mucver) With Yogurt
Growing up, all it took to revive my sister and I after a long day at school was discovering our mom in the kitchen lost behind a giant pile of grated zucchinis. It was a clear indicator that zucchini pancakes were in the making. Though we tried our very best not to gulp them down one by one, my mom knew us better than we did ourselves. Although meant to be a midday snack, it quickly turned into the main event.
This Turkish Pancake recipe is a gem, bursting with earthy goodness, has captivated taste buds for generations. But for my sister and me, Mucver is more than just a dish; it’s a treasured family tradition, a culinary love story passed down through the generations.
“Mucver” essentially is the the technique in which the food is prepared (as my uncle mentioned last time I called him and asked for the recipe) and could be made with a variety of vegetables like potatoes, carrots or even adding different assortments of cheese. This recipe, specifically, is one for Zucchini Mucver, although I like to include some carrots for texture and color.
It is fairly simple to make in terms of instructions, however, it takes time grating vegetables, squeezing out their juices, and frying them one by one on the pan. If you have an hour or so in your hands and are craving some fresh zucchini pancakes to munch on, read along for the recipe below.
Note: They make great cold leftovers the next day!
Zucchini Pancakes with Yogurt
Ingredients
Pancake Batter
- 3 Zucchinis
- 1 Carrot
- 2 Eggs
- 1/2 cup Flour
- 6 Scallions (chopped)
- 1/2 cup Chopped Parsley
- Salt and Pepper
- 4-5 tbsp Olive Oil (add more as needed while cooking on pan)
For Garlic Yogurt
- 3 Cloves Garlic
- 2 Cups Yogurt
- Dried or Fresh Mint (If desired)
Instructions
Zucchini Pancakes
- Grate the zucchinis and carrots into a large bowl.
- Place the grated vegetables in a clean kitchen towel or cheesecloth and squeeze them tightly over the sink to drain the water. It's important to remove excess moisture from the grated zucchinis in order to prevent them from getting soggy.
- Finely chop the scallions and parsley. Add them to the grated zucchinis and carrots in the bowl.
- In the same bowl, crack the 2 eggs and add the flour. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Mix all the ingredients together until you have a well-combined batter. The consistency should be thick enough to hold together on its own.
- Take a portion of the batter and shape it into small, flat pancakes or patties. You can use your hands or a spoon for this.
- Heat a frying pan over medium heat and add a little cooking oil. Once the oil is hot, carefully place the zucchini pancake patties in the pan, leaving some space between them. Press down gently on each pancake to flatten them slightly with a spatula. Cook the pancakes for about 3-4 minutes on each side, or until they are golden brown and crisp.
- Remove the cooked zucchini pancakes from the pan and place them on a plate lined with paper towels to absorb any excess oil. Serve the zucchini pancakes hot, with yogurt or a dipping sauce of your choice.
Garlic Yogurt
- In a mixing bowl, add the plain yogurt. You can use any plain yogurt, depending on your preference.
- Peel and mince the garlic cloves finely. You can adjust the amount of garlic to your taste; if you prefer a milder garlic flavor, use less garlic.
- Add the minced garlic to the yogurt in the mixing bowl.
- For best results, let the garlic yogurt sauce chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving. This allows the flavors to meld and develop.
- Just before serving, garnish the garlic yogurt sauce with fresh parsley or mint leaves for a pop of color and additional freshness.
This was so good I accidently bit my fingers eating it. If you are going to make this keep a first aid kit nearby
I will add “first aid kit” in the ingredients in that case 🙂 Thank you so much!