For many of us, pancakes are something we whip up once a year when Shrove Tuesday rolls into view. There's nothing wrong with that of course, but pancakes are so much more than a once-a-year gimmick – they're a delicious way to bring together all sorts of flavours.
We tend to gravitate towards the same old fluffy American and thinner French-style pancake recipes, but pancakes actually have roots in food cultures all over the world. In Vietnam, crispy coconut milk 'bánh xèo' pancakes are filled with crunchy vegetables and wrapped in lettuce leaves. 'Cachapas' (corn pancakes) are eaten in South American countries like Colombia and Venezuela, often folded around melted cheese. You have okonomiyaki in Japan, kimchi pancakes in Korea. Even injera – the aerated, slightly tart flatbread that Ethiopians eat with every meal – is somewhat of a pancake. The concept of cooking starch-based batter in pans exists all over the world, largely because of its versatility.
Tough as it is to choose between a whole host of fantastic pancake options, we've pulled out the five that we find ourselves turning to the most. Scroll down for our top picks, or take a look at our huge collection of pancake recipes for even more inspiration.