Recipe of the month: Scallion Pancakes

At the start of this year, I prepared a tentative schedule of blog posts from January all the way until December. The reason I did this way in advance is because I knew that if I didn't have a well thought out plan, the likelihood of me neglecting my blog would be high. I make no bones about the fact that my blog is very dear to me and having devoted so much time to it all these years, I find it difficult to abandon it for prolonged stretches of time. 

For us as a family, this year is markedly different from previous years with significant changes in the household and my working arrangement already having taken place mid-year. The transition was a bit challenging at first but my husband and I make a good team and we have things pretty much under control now ✌ We have bigger changes coming our way soon and I will elaborate more on that when the time comes. Anyway, I'm glad that I have sincerely stuck to my blogging plan until now and if I manage to keep it up for a few more months, I should have successfully completed my year's quota. 

I have a really good savoury recipe for you today. I think you are going to like it 😊

Cong you bing (cōngyóubǐng) commonly known as scallion pancakes are a savoury layered flatbread from China and Taiwan. An unleavened dough is folded with chopped scallions, spices and laminated with oil. Then it is pan-fried in oil until golden brown which gives the pancakes a crispy yet chewy texture.

Scallion pancakes are served both as a street food item and as a restaurant dish. They are also sold commercially, either fresh or frozen in plastic packages often in Asian supermarkets.

This is a vegan breakfast dish or starter/appetizer that requires only a few ingredients and can be made ahead of time. The process is slightly long because resting the dough is important to get the desirable texture. I like the onion-y flavour that the scallions impart, the citrusy, slightly tongue-numbing heat of schezwan pepper and the flaky texture of the pancakes. I've provided the recipe for a simple soy-based dipping sauce that goes quite well with the scallion pancakes. The dipping sauce is not mandatory, even sweet chilli sauce or chilli oil would do. 

If you have never tasted this dish before, do try this recipe the next time you are looking to make an evening snack. If you want to take things up a notch, you can also make some eggs of your choice and serve the pancakes alongside as breakfast. No matter what time of day you eat it, you will be guaranteed to enjoy it. 

Scallion Pancakes with Dipping Sauce

Preparation time: ~ 1 hr

Cooking time: ~ 20 min

Makes: 5 pancakes; Serves: 2-3

Recipe category: Chinese/Appetizer

Recipe level: Easy

Recipe source: Adapted from several recipes

Ingredients:

For the scallion pancakes:

1 and 1/2 cups (200 gm) all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp salt

100 ml boiling water

30 ml room temperature water

3-4 stalks scallion or green onion, finely chopped

2 tsp schezwan pepper, Optional

1/2 tsp garlic flakes or powder, Optional

2 tablespoons vegetable oil, for brushing

Vegetable oil as required, for shallow frying

For the dipping sauce:

2 tbsp light soy sauce

1 tbsp rice vinegar or chinkiang vinegar

2 tbsp water

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp ginger powder

1/2 tsp brown sugar

Method:

1. Add the all-purpose flour into a big bowl and add the salt. Combine well and set aside.

2. Heat 100 ml of water to a boil. Slowly add the water to the flour and mix it with chopsticks until you see large flakes. 

3. Add 30 ml of room temperature water bit by bit and mix the same way. 

4. Now with your fingers, knead the dough for a few minutes in the bowl until it comes together. If you feel the dough is too dry, add an additional 1-2 tsp of water (as needed) to the dough. 

5. Now transfer to a greased surface and using a stretching and pulling back motion, knead the dough well for at least 8-10 mins until the dough becomes soft, elastic and the surface becomes creaseless and smooth. Apply some oil on the dough, put it back into the bowl, cover the dough with a damp cloth and let it rest for at least 30 minutes.

6. When the dough is resting, wash the scallions thoroughly. Make a lengthwise slit along the scallion and chop the white and green parts finely. Mix them together. 

7. Add the schezwan pepper and garlic powder to a mortar and crush with a pestle until fine. 

8. In a small bowl, add all the ingredients listed under the dipping sauce and whisk well together. Taste and adjust according to personal preference. Keep aside until required. 

9. On a flat and greased surface, divide the dough into 5 equal parts, as pictured.  

10. Working with one dough ball at a time, roll it out really thinly into a roughly rectangular shape. Grease the rolling pin with oil as you go. 

11. Brush the surface of the rectangle with the oil. Sprinkle the pepper and garlic powder over the surface of the rolled out dough and then sprinkle the scallions. 

12. Now gently roll up from one end until it forms a thin long cylinder. Coil it up like a snail and tuck the end. Press lightly and oil the surface. Do the same for the remaining pieces of dough. Let these rest for 15-20 mins (if making ahead, you could also rest these discs in the fridge overnight). 

13. One by one, roll the snail-shape dough out using gently pressure until flat, measuring about 5-6 inches in diameter. 

Note: If you are not cooking immediately, you can place the rolled out dough between two sheets of parchment and stash in the freezer. Then when you are ready to cook, you can directly place it on a hot pan without thawing. 

14. Add about 2-4 tbsp of oil into a cast iron pan or skillet over medium high heat. When the oil starts shimmering, transfer the rolled out pancake onto the pan or skillet. Shallow fry each side of the pancake to a light golden brown, about 1-2 minutes. Flip the pancake over a few times until you have desirable browning. You can cover the pan with a lid for more even heating. 

15. Add more oil if needed, repeat the same for the remaining pancakes. Place the cooked scallion pancake on a wire rack for 1-2 minutes instead of directly on a plate. Placing hot pancakes onto a plate will cause the bottoms to steam up and soften.

16. Cut into quarters or wedges and serve warm with the dipping sauce. 

Notes:

• To enhance the aroma of the pancake, you may add a few drops of sesame oil to your vegetable oil and brush onto the rolled out dough before rolling up into a cylinder
• If you have Chinese five-spice in your pantry, you can use it to sprinkle over the thinly rolled out dough instead of the schezwan pepper
• Instead of vegetable oil, you can use peanut oil in this recipe
• You can also skip the dipping sauce and serve the pancakes with sweet chilli sauce or chilli oil

Cheers,

Megha