Blini and the Smell of My Favorite Mornings
Breakfast in Uzbekistan is usually simple. On the table, you’ll find fresh bread, kaymak (thick crème fraîche), homemade jams, and strongly brewed tea. But Uzbek cuisine also has an Eastern European influence, with dishes that are familiar across many countries with a post-Soviet past. One of them is blini pancakes.
My mom often made them in the mornings, and those were my favorite mornings. I would wake up to that sweet, warm, buttery, deeply comforting aroma drifting from the kitchen, pulling me out of bed with a smile. There are endless “perfect” blini recipes today — precise and optimized. Perhaps they are better. But this family recipe will always taste more “right.” Because it’s not just blini. It’s memory, home, and a taste I will forever crave. Happy to share it with you too.
Makes: 16 blinis
Total time: 30 minutes
INGREDIENTS
3 eggs
30 g (about 2 tbsp) powdered sugar
A pinch of salt
500 ml (about 2 cups) whole milk
A pinch of baking powder
200 g (about 1,5 cups) all-purpose flour
2 tbsp olive oil
1/3 cup water (optional, for a lighter batter)
30 g (about 2 tbsp) butter (for frying)
METHOD
1. Bring ingredients to room temperature.
This helps the batter blend smoothly and cook evenly.
2. Prepare the base.
In a mixing bowl, whisk the eggs with powdered sugar, salt, and baking powder until well combined.
3. Add the milk.
Pour in the milk and continue whisking until the mixture is smooth.
4. Incorporate the flour.
Gradually add the flour in small portions, whisking continuously to avoid lumps. Mix until you have a silky, uniform batter.
5. Add oil (and water if using).
Stir in the olive oil. If you prefer thinner, more delicate blinis, add the water and whisk again.
6. Heat the pan.
Warm a non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Lightly grease with a small amount of butter.
7. Cook the blinis.
Add a small amount of butter to the pan before each blini. Do not wait for it to fully melt — this helps prevent burning. Swirl the butter and immediately pour in a small ladle of batter, tilting the pan to spread it into a thin layer.
8. Flip and finish.
Cook until bubbles form and the edges lift easily, then flip and cook briefly on the other side.
These thin pancakes, dotted with tiny holes, can be filled with savory fillings (minced meat or mashed potatoes with caramelized onions) or served sweet, with jam and kaymak or sour cream.