Tag: scallion pancake

Scallion Pancakes

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

Cylinder
Roll it thin and flat. Thinner the better
Brush on oil or oil mixture
Sprinkle scallions
Roll ‘er up
Try to make a nice, tight line
Snail shell it
Looks like a poop
Sprinkle lightly with flour
Hand squish
Roll it out to desired thickness
On the pan
Flipped
plated
Crispy outside, and chewy inside!!! YUM!! 🙂

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)