Making Scallion Pancakes for National Pancake Day

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Did you know that March 7 was IHOP’s National Pancake Day? I realize it’s a manufactured corporate holiday, but I figured I could contribute a new way to put the “international” into IHOP by making the scallion pancakes popular in northern China.

Delicious all day, scallion pancakes are perfect for a light breakfast, afternoon snack or appetizer before a larger meal. You can order scallion pancakes at a restaurant, of course, but read on to see how much better they are when you make them at home.

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The ingredients for scallion pancakes are really simple, just flour, water, sesame oil and a handful of scallions. Set aside an hour one Saturday morning to allow for the dough’s resting cycles and you’ll be ready to go.

Hot scallion pancakes right out of the pan are ridiculously tasty — light and crunchy, with steam escaping from the flaky layers of dough. During the cooking process, you’ll fill your kitchen with a heady aroma of flour, sesame oil and scallions.

Here’s how to make scallion pancakes, step-by-step. The detailed tutorial with pictures and directions is at the bottom of the page.

Your turn! What tips can you share from your family’s recipe? Want to ask a question before you start cooking? I’d love to hear from you in the comments section below!

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Scallion Pancakes Recipe

Makes: 12 Pancakes | Prep Time: 90 Minutes | Cook Time: 10 Minutes
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Ingredients

1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 cup boiling water
3 tablespoons sesame oil
2 green onions
oil for frying

Directions

1. Combine the flour and salt in a mixing bowl. Add the vegetable oil and boiling water, then mix into a rough dough. Knead with your hands until the dough forms a ball, adding up to 2 tablespoons of additional flour to keep the dough from sticking. Cover the dough with a cloth and let rest for 20 minutes.

2. While the dough is resting, coarsely chop the green onions.

3. On a floured surface, roll the dough out into a long cylinder, then divide into 12 pieces. Working with one portion at a time, roll the dough out into a 4″ circle. Brush the surface with sesame oil and sprinkle generously with green onions.

4. Roll the dough into a tight cylinder, pinch the ends to keep the sesame oil and green onions from escaping, then roll the cylinder into the shape of a snail shell. Repeat with the remaining dough, sesame oil and green onions. Let the rolls rest for 20 minutes.

5. Place a roll flat on a floured surface, so that the rings of the snail shell shape face you. Flatten with the palm of your hand, then roll out into a 4″ circle. Repeat with the remaining dough shells, stacking the pancakes on sheets of parchment paper. Let the pancakes rest for 20 minutes.

6. Heat a pan over medium heat, then coat the surface with oil. Add two or three pancakes to the pan, frying for 2-3 minutes on each side until the pancakes are brown and crisp. Remove and drain on paper towels. Repeat with the remaining pancakes, refreshing the oil in the pan between each batch.

7. Serve immediately with chili sauce or oyster sauce.

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Step-By-Step Tutorial

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These delicious scallion pancakes require only a short ingredient list. Flour, water, salt, vegetable oil, sesame oil and green onions. That’s it!

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Combine the flour and salt in a mixing bowl. Add the vegetable oil and boiling water, then mix with a wooden spoon until a rough dough forms.

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Knead the dough in your hands until you can form a ball. This will save you a lot of trouble later — add up to 2 more tablespoons of flour until the ball stops sticking to your fingers. Cover the dough with a cloth and let rest for 20 minutes.

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While the dough is resting, coarsely chop the green onions.

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On a floured surface, roll the dough out into a long cylinder, then divide into 12 pieces.

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Working with one portion at a time, roll the dough out into a 4″ circle. Brush the surface with sesame oil and sprinkle generously with green onions.

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Roll the dough into a tight cylinder, pinch the ends to keep the sesame oil and green onions from escaping, then roll the cylinder into the shape of a snail shell.

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Repeat with the remaining dough, sesame oil and green onions. Let the rolls rest for 20 minutes.

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Place a roll flat on a floured surface, so that the rings of the snail shell shape face you.

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Flatten with the palm of your hand, then roll out into a 4″ circle.

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Repeat with the remaining dough shells, stacking the pancakes on sheets of parchment paper. Let the pancakes rest for 20 minutes.

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Heat a pan over medium heat, then coat the surface with oil. Add two or three pancakes to the pan, frying for 2-3 minutes on each side until the pancakes are brown and crisp. Remove and drain on paper towels. Repeat with the remaining pancakes, refreshing the oil in the pan between each batch.

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Serve immediately with chili sauce or oyster sauce.

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