Written: 05/21/2023
First time making Chinese scallion pancakes
What
Chinese scallion pancakes
Ingredients
All-purpose/bread flour (2 cups), very hot water (3/4 cups), salt, scallions (green onion), vegetable oil, sesame oil, sesame seeds (opt), other optional spices to taste
Optional dipping sauce: soy sauce, water, sugar, sesame seeds/oil, scallions, garlic, chili, coriander…really, to your taste based off the soy sauce and sesame
Time
10-minute prep + 2‑hour wait + 10-minute process + 5‑minute pan fry
~ 2 hour (wait), 25 minutes (make) total
Steps
- Measure out flour into mixing bowl and create a well into which you pour the hot water
- Add salt (and other seasoning if you want)
- Mix until you get a rough ball of dough
- Turn it onto a lightly floured surface and knead until it form a sticky but smooth ball
- Set aside to rest either wrapped in plastic or covered in a damp towel
- Let it alone 1–2 hours
- Make the Oil Mixture here if you’re going to use it (make sure it gets to room temperature): vegetable oil, sesame oil, and teaspoon of flour. Bring to bubble and cook for 1 minute before letting it cool to room temperature. About 3 tablespoon vegetable oil to 2 teaspoon sesame oil.
- Cut the dough in half making sure to recover the other half so it doesn’t dry out (if you want smaller cakes, then do quarters or eighths)
- Roll it into a cylinder and then roll that thin and flat. You’re aiming for a rectangular piece (mine didn’t get very rectangular, lol)
- Brush on a layer of the oil mixture or just oil and sprinkle the chopped scallions. Note: Here is where you can add the sesame seeds or whatever other spices or meats or whatever you want
- Now to make the layers. The traditional way is to tightly roll up the flattened and scallioned dough into a thin cylinder again, and then create a snail shell from that rolled up piece. You can also fold it on each other to make the layers. I just did the snail shell
- Once it’s a snail shell, sprinkle some flour on it, turn it, and flatten it with your hands a bit before using the rolling pin to squish out some bubbles (it’s kinda fun, like popping bubble wrap). Note: Here, you can control how much you’re squishing it…do you want it airier and more layered by leaving the air pockets inside? Or do you want it super-duper flat like a cracker?
- Heat up some oil in a skillet or pan. It’s fry time! Heat it up to your desire!
Done!
Pictures
Notes
- Northern pancakes are apparently thicker and use the oil, while the southern style pancakes are thin and use less oil
- Thick or thin is up to you. If you like thicker, be careful not to be too fussy with the rolling of the snail shell
- The ones I made ended up being thicker than I prefer, so I’d try to make any in the future much thinner
- I’d also make future ones smaller
- Maybe I’d like a mix of the northern and southern style pancakes
- Plain old soy sauce was perfect as a dipping sauce for me
- Maybe some onion powder or maybe a pinch of curry would be a good addition…I felt they were a bit bland, but then again, they’re made to be dipped and eaten with other dishes like soups
- I think I may have over-cooked the pancakes making them too crunchy (though I like that)
- Perhaps adding some shredded meat inside would make it really good
- Overall, it was fun and pretty easy to make
- Other recipes called for bread flour (high protein content), but I just used all-purpose flour (it’s a 1:1 substitution if interested)
