I have been incredibly fortunate this Autumn to have been on two press trips to the Caribbean thanks to Aruba Tourism and Celebrity Cruises UK. I’m likely going to spend much of this cold, dark Shetland winter reliving the adventures I had there through a series of blog posts. I can still imagine the warmth of the sun on my skin and the feel of the warm sand between my toes while sifting through the hundreds of photographs I took.
Both press trips took me to Aruba, a tiny island just twenty miles north of Venezuela, one of the four countries that form the Kingdom of the Netherlands along with the Netherlands, Curaçao, and Sint Maarten. That island will always hold a special place in my heart as it gave me my first taste of Paradise, and that’s where I learned about pan bati.
The words ‘pan bati’ literally translate as ‘smashed’ or ‘beaten’ bread because you beat the batter well. You then cook it like you do pancakes. The batter is prepared with plain flour and cornmeal with baking powder as the raising agent. It is seasoned with a little salt and some sugar, to taste. Unlike pancakes, there is no fat or egg added.
While on my first trip to Aruba we went on a historical walking tour of its capital, Oranjestad, where we watched a short cookery demonstration of pan bati being cooked at the Coco Plum Restaurant.
You’ll find many variations of the bread on the island, with each establishment (and home cook) giving it their own twist, but one thing’s for certain: it tastes fantastic. Think of it as a cornbread-like pancake which goes well with all manner of soups and stews (and a Balashi Chill beer!).
I made a batch of pan bati for my family recently, and my husband said it reminded him of a flatbread he’d tasted once in Abu Dhabi – it’s now his new favourite flatbread, so I expect I’ll be making it regularly from now on! The kids even requested the leftovers in their packed school lunchboxes!
Aruba boasts a wide range of restaurants and eateries, but one of my favourites is The West Deck, just a fifteen-minute walk from the cruise ship terminal. Take a right, browse through the shopping district and keep going straight until you cross over the bridge with the Anne Frank statue to your right. Make sure to watch out for the park filled with iguanas!
The West Deck, pictured below, features a wide range of authentic Aruban cuisine from coconut shrimp to conch fritters, to the stewed meat and cheese covered keeshi yena and the Aruban-brewed Balashi beers. It’s all very affordable too, and with its open-air deck plan with views over the Caribbean and its light cooling breeze off the sea, it’s a great venue for lunch where you can sip your beer and watch the pelicans dive for their dinner. You can also order a rather delicious Caribbean bread basket which features pan bati, among other breads.
You might also like my other blog posts about the area: Vist the Flamingo Beach at Renaissance Aruba and Frankie’s Abaco Avocado & Rum Cocktail. There are plenty more blog posts planned too – I’m going to be recreating the delicious keeshi yena using local lamb soon, and there will be a recipe post featuring the delicious deep-fried pastries popular with locals: pastechi. Oh, and I’m also compiling a Foodie’s Guide to Aruba. Watch this space!
Have you ever visited Aruba? Where did you eat when you were there? Do you have any special memories of the place? Let me know in the comments!
Aruban Pan Bati Recipe
Ingredients
- 250 grams plain flour
- 160 grams fine cornmeal
- 2 tbsp baking powder
- 3 tbsp skimmed milk powder
- 450 ml water
- 1 pinch Shetland sea salt
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
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Instructions
- Stir the flour, cornmeal, baking powder and skimmed milk powder together in a large bowl and add the water.
- Beat well, for about 15 minutes, until the batter is very smooth and of a thick, pancake mixture-like consistency. Stir in the salt and the sugar.
- Heat a non-stick frying pan over a medium high heat and spoon out two heaped tablespoons worth of batter onto the pan. Cook until browned on both sides, like pancakes.
- Set aside to cool. Serve with butter.
Notes
With huge thanks to Aruba Tourism and Celebrity Cruises UK for the opportunities to visit this beautiful #OneHappyIsland paradise. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
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Hi,
Next time you visit Aruba you should try Pan Bati with Kari Kari (Shark meat) or pastechi filled with shark meat. Be carful, it’s a bit dangerous to eat as you might bite in your finger
I will try this! I will return to Aruba again one day, and this will be on the top of my list of things to try!
Came out closer to a frisbee. Nothing like the pan bati I had while in Aruba
What are the deep fried balls in the basket? They look sooooo good!
Just got back from Aruba, most magical island in the world Pan bati is nice, tried it in Zeroover, one of the must-do restaurants For me pan bati is pretty flavourless but pastechi.. pastechi is something indescribable tasty! Please try it
Hi! I’m from Bonaire, part of the ABC islands together with Aruba and Curacao! You forgot to mention Bonaire in your text, and The Netherlands most definitely isn’t part of it haha
Glad you like Aruba and pan bati! Your pan bati looks great 🙂
Hi. I was born in Aruba but have lived in the UK for 50+ years. I now want to be more aware of my birth[place & particularly, recipes from Aruba so that I can start to cook them at home. Any good recipes for Christmas greatly appreciated. Thanks.
One of my favorite things about Aruba was this bread! The restaurants that served it had all amazing foods but I have been looking for a recipe I’m excited to try this!! Thanks
Oh nice.I could enjoy it with a bit of honey and nice cup of ginger tea.
Hi!
1st, Love that this recipe doesn’t use milk.
Last, NL doesn’t “own” Aruba.
As a proud Arubian, reading that I am “owned” left a bitter taste in my mouth. Even more as NL played a role in the transatlantic slave trade.
Greetings,
Dee.
My sincerest apologies – no offence was intended by my phrasing. I have amended the text now. Glad to hear you approve of the recipe though – it’s now one of our family favourites.
This looks so good – you’re making me hungry! I might have to try and have a go at making some
We’re in Abu Dhabi soon. I wonder if we’ll firstvtaste this dish there too. You’re very lucky with the Aruba press trips x
I really want to explore this part of the world, and one thing that really interests me is the cuisine. This flatbread sounds and looks delicious
Wow how lucky were you to get to go to Aruba!! It sounds amazing to me.
I love the sound of the Pan Bati recipe, it looks super simple and I think would go well with a curry or kebab based meal!
Ooh that does loo delicious! I love anything you can dip and this looks perfect!
Such amazing photos, I’d be in heaven with all that food it looks so yum! My hubby would love that bread, I’v pinned the recipe to try it out 🙂
I’ve not heard of this before but it looks delicious and sounds easy enough to make. I’ll have to try it!
This looks interesting. I will have to give it a go to see if the kids like it. I love savoury nibbles. 😀
I’ve never hard of arubna pan bati before but its interesting to learn about a new bread. I love the idea of beating the mixture and that you cook it like a pancake. That would be really cool to try out x
I’d never heard of this bread before. I can’t eat wheat, but I might try recreating it with gluten free flour.
Wow two trips there, I have to say I’m jealous. The bread sounds lovely though x
This sure looks tasty. I have tried bati before but never made it so am glad to come across this recipe.
The coco plum restaurant in Aruba looks fab. I love how you have recreated the dish looks yummy x
Never heard of this before but looks tasty and a cross between a pancake and a potato cake
Ooh it all looks so delicious. I would love to visit Aruba one day x
I like this type of food: it’s like nibbles but it looks so tasty! I could do with some right now! Actually, I am craving for some…
The pan bati does look like a pancake or a flapjack. Definitely would like to see Aruba.
This looks great. Is there something you can’t an replace the milk powder for to make it vegan?
This looks like a cross between bread and a pancake. Sounds delicious too!
Oh wow, so jealous of your trip to Aruba. I might just make this bread, whack the heating up full and pretend I’m there!
Katie xoxo
Oh wow, I wish I was here now. It looks like an amazing place. The recipe looks yummy, I could just eat it now.
Yum! Looks really different and yummy! Love the pics too – very arty!
Wow how lucky are you! I’d love to visit Aruba. I’ve never heard of Pan Bati but I’d definitely give it a try. I like alternatives to traditional bread and would be happy to eat this alongside a good soup this winter!