Scallion Pancakes

Ingredients for pancake dough

• 1 1/3 cups (175g) + 1/2 cup (64g) all-purpose flour
• 6 tablespoons (88g) boiling water
• 5 tablespoons (10g) cold water
• 1 teaspoon salt

Ingredients for roux

• 4 tablespoons sesame oil (plus more for oiling the pan)
  • You can use basically any oil here! I used sesame oil for the flavor, but you can use olive oil, vegetable oil, and even lard or leftover fat.
• 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup chopped scallions

This recipe makes approximately 4 scallion pancakes.

Instructions

1. First, let’s make the scallion pancake dough. In a heatproof bowl, add 1 1/3 cup (175g) flour and boiling water. Mix until evenly combined forming a thick, sticky dough. Knead until the dough comes together into a sticky ball. I used a stand mixer and mixed on medium speed for about 7 minutes, but you can also knead by hand.
2. Add remaining 1/2 cup flour and cold water. Knead again until the dough comes together into a smooth ball.
3. Form the dough into a ball and divide into 4 equal pieces. Cover with some cling wrap and let it rest for 30 minutes.
4. Now, let’s make the roux. In a small bowl, add sesame oil, salt, and mix. Set aside.
5. Back to the dough balls, take each dough ball, and using a rolling pin, roll it into a thin circle (about 8 inches in diameter). Spread about 1/4 of the roux on top of the circle, but make sure to save about a half inch of dough around border to minimize leakage. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of the chopped scallions all around on top of the roux.
6. Starting from one side of the circle, roll the circle of dough into a log and leave it seam side down. Then, form a tight coil with the log.
7. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough back out to a thin circle (about 8 inches in diameter). Don’t worry if the scallions break through the dough. Repeat for the rest of the dough balls.
8. Heat up a pan to medium high heat. Make sure you add enough oil of your choice to coat the entire bottom. Place one of the thin circles of dough onto the pan. Cook each side of the pancake until golden brown and crisp (approximately 7-10 minutes per side). You’re done!

Scallion Pancakes are so flaky, crunchy, and definitely a classic in many Chinese restaurants. By making them at home, you can eat them straight off of the hot pan, which let’s you experience the true flakiness and crunchiness of the scallion pancake. It’s so easy to put together and just requires a little bit of elbow grease. Once you make your scallion pancake, you can even use it as a vessel for some eggs and Chinese sausage or just eat them plain. Definitely an easy and forgiving recipe to try out soon. Let me know in the comments below if you made Scallion Pancakes and how it went!