If you don't like scallion pancakes, you're crazy. What's not to like about scallion pancakes? It's flaky, chewy, crispy on the outside, soft on the inside. The fact is, it only takes a few ingredients to make this scrumptious snack/appetizer. I must admit the rest might get tricky and time-consuming if this is your first time making scallion pancakes.
For first time scallion pancake makers, there are two very important pieces of information you should know (and master, over time). One is the water temperature that you're using for the dough, the other is the roll-and-coil method. I picked up TONS of tips from the Serious Eats Food Lab: How to Make Scallion Pancakes. If you're interested in knowing the scientific side of making scallion pancakes, I highly recommend you stopping by that article and reading it (twice)!
First, mix 2 cups of all-purpose flour and 1 cup of boiling water. Dusk your working surface with some flour and knead the dough several times to form a smooth ball.
Brush some (olive) oil on the inside of a mixing bowl, then place the dough in it to rest for about 30 minutes.
While the dough is resting, chop up about 1 cup of scallion.
Divide the dough into four equal pieces. Dusk your working surface with flour, and start rolling out one of those pieces by flattening it with a rolling pin. Once it's flattened, brush some oil on top. Then roll up the disk from the bottom towards the top, and coil the rolled-up dough. Repeat this process 3 more times. (The more times this step is repeated, the more "layers" of the pancake would have. It also means that it'd be flakier.)
After that, you're going to flatten the dough again. This time, after brushing oil, sprinkle sesame seeds and chopped-up scallion on top as well. Then repeat the roll-and-coil method a couple more times.
Heat some olive oil (about 3-4 tbsp) in a nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Carefully place your scallion pancake onto the pan. Cook each side for about 2-3 minutes or until golden brown.
Scallion Pancakes
Makes: 4
You'll need:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting work surface
- 1 cup boiling water Olive oil
- 1/3 cup sesame seeds
- 1 cup chopped scallion
Dipping Sauce:
- 2 tbsp (low-sodium) soy sauce
- 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp chopped scallion
- 1 tsp sesame seeds
- 2 tsp thinly-cut ginger strips
Approach:
- First, mix 2 cups of all-purpose flour and 1 cup of boiling water. Dusk your working surface with some flour and knead the dough a few times to form a smooth ball.
- Brush some (olive) oil on the inside of a mixing bowl, then place the dough in it to rest for about 30 minutes.
- While the dough is resting, chop up about 1 cup of scallion.
- Divide the dough into four equal pieces. Dusk your working surface with flour, and start rolling out one of those pieces by flattening it with a rolling pin. Once it's flattened, brush some oil on top. Then roll up the disk from the bottom towards the top, and coil the rolled-up dough. Repeat this process 3 more times. (The more times this step is repeated, the more "layers" of the pancake would have. It also means that it'd be flakier.)
- After that, you're going to flatten the dough again. This time, after brushing oil, sprinkle sesame seeds and the chopped-up scallion on top as well. Then repeat the roll-and-coil method a couple more times.
- Heat some olive oil (about 3-4 tbsp) in a nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Carefully place your scallion pancake onto the pan. Cook each side for about 2-3 minutes or until golden brown.
- Free feel to rest and cool pancakes on a paper towel, then cut each pancake into six pieces.