Mango Pancakes with Guava Syrup

This morning, I went into the kitchen to feed the cat and saw mangoes that were about to go bad. Then, I went to the pantry, and I saw Bisquick. Already the wheels were turning in my mind. Sweet mangoes in fluffy pancakes. But maple syrup isn't the right topping, I thought. One of my ex-boyfriend’s mom made guava syrup for breakfast. I didn't think I could ever go back to eating maple after that. And as any good Floribbean would, I had a container of guava paste in my kitchen.

Really, this recipe is simply to remind you (and me) to be creative in the kitchen. I’m not posting a pancake recipe. I don’t even eat pancakes often. So please refer to your favorite pancake recipe, be it whole grain or plain, from scratch or from a box. Add mangoes, or bananas, or any other fruit that screams “the tropics” to the batter in the amount you would want to bite into chunks of it, and cook those pancakes as you prefer them while you’re making your syrup. Here’s how to hook up a guava syrup.

INGREDIENTS 

14 oz. Guava paste (can be found in Caribbean supermarkets, the Hispanic section of your grocery store, or on the world wide web)
8 fl oz. water

DIRECTIONS


Cut the guava paste into chunks and place them into a non-stick pan. Pour in the water. Heat over medium (almost medium-high), stirring every so often to keep it moving along. You can easily cook your pancakes while the paste and water turn to syrup. It’s not a quick process.


Add water if the syrup becomes thicker than you’d prefer. The consistency should remind you of marinara sauce because the guava paste is a bit grainy. Serve warm!


Makes 6 servings - about 225 calories per serving.