Scallion Pancakes

Note: When making dough, weighing ingredients is more accurate and reliable than volume. I recommend getting a kitchen scale if you’re interested in making doughs. I’ve used standard conversions from weight to volume from this site, for this recipe. During class we will discuss what the dough should look and feel like, so that you can adjust amounts accordingly (and the actual measurements below are just starting points).

Ingredients

For the dough:

  • 400g (3 1/4 cups) of all-purpose flour or 1:1 gluten free flour blend

  • 2g (1/3 tsp) of salt

  • 83g (1/3 cup) of boiling water

  • 167g (3/4 cup) of room temperature water

  • 12g (2 1/2 tsp) of cooking oil

For the scallion sauce:

  • 2-3 scallions finely chopped

  • 1g (a pinch) of five-spice powder (optional)

  • 4g (1/2 tsp) of salt

  • 2g (1/3 tsp) of sugar

  • 20g (2 tbsp + 1 1/2 tsp) of all-purpose flour

  • 30g (2 tbsp) of hot cooking oil

For cooking:

  • cooking oil as needed to coat the pan and cook 6 pancakes

Preparation (Two Hours Before Class)

Prepare the dough: (Video 1-4, Video 5—6, Video 7)

  1. Combine the all-purpose flour, salt in a mixing bowl.

  2. Create a hole in the center and pour the boiling water into it. Mix the flour with the boiling water.

  3. Add the room temperature water and use your hands to knead the dough into a ball. If the dough sticks to your fingers when all the flour has been incorporated, add a little more flour, and knead it into dough. Keep adding small amounts of flour to the dough until it no longer sticks to your fingers and is able to form a ball.

  4. Cover the dough with a plate/lid and rest for 20 minutes at room temperature

  5. Add oil to the dough and knead it into the dough until it is well incorporated. Divide the dough into 6 equal pieces.

  6. Roll out each piece into 18-20cm (6-8 inch) log and then press flat with your fingers. You should end up with 6 oblong, flat pieces of dough that resemble beaver tails.

  7. Baste each piece with oil on both sides, and allow it to rest in a baking pan or dish covered.

Gluten-free Scallion Pancake made with Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten Free Flour Blend

Gluten-free Scallion Pancake made with Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten Free Flour Blend

Directions

Making the Pancakes

  1. Heat oil for scallion sauce so that it is glistening, almost smoking. Remove from heat.

  2. Combine five spice powder, salt, sugar, flour and chopped scallions into a bowl. Pour hot oil over mixture and stir to form a thick paste.

  3. On a flat surface like a cutting board, roll out each piece of dough that was resting into thinner, longer pieces.

  4. Working with one piece of dough at a time, spread the scallion paste along the length of the dough.

  5. Starting from one side of the dough strip, fold it 5-6 times until you are almost at the end, but still have 10cm (2 inches) left. Flatten the sides of the folded part of the dough so that you can fold them over into the center. Fold the remaining piece of unfolded dough at the end and fold it over the rest of the folded dough so you have a square-like package.

  6. Flip the folded square-shaped dough over and tuck the edges to shape a ball.

  7. Press the ball down with the palm of your hand to form a disc. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough to about 5-6mm (1/4 inch) thickness. Cook the pancake (see instructions below), or set aside, using parchment paper in between pancakes to prevent sticking.

Cooking the Pancakes

  1. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large heavy skillet or pan on medium heat.

  2. Roll the edge of one side of the pancake back onto the rolling pin. Curl it onto the rolling pin - this makes it easier to to transfer it to the hot skillet to fry, so that it doesn’t break.

  3. Gently unroll the pancake from the rolling pin into the pan so that it rests flat to fry, and cover for 1-2 min. When the pancake starts to change color, flip and cover again. Continue to flip and cover until the pancake is browned and ‘puffy’.