Easy Scallion Pancakes
The secret to getting flaky layers is all in the folding. Try out this easy Chinese scallion pancake method along with my go-to dipping sauce.
- Prep time
- 14 min
- Cook time
- 31 min
- Yield
- 4 servings
- Difficulty
- MEDIUM
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more if necessary
- 1/2 cup warm water
- 6 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil, divided
- 6 scallions, thinly sliced or finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1/2 tablespoon chili oil or your preferred hot sauce
Instructions
- 1
In a separate large bowl, mix together the flour and warm water until a smooth dough forms. If the dough seems sticky, as it tends to do in humid weather, add a little more flour (starting with 1 tablespoon and up to 1/4 cup total, if needed) and mix again until the dough is no longer sticky.
- 2
Roll out the dough on a lightly floured work surface and knead until a smooth ball forms, 2 to 3 minutes. Place the dough in a mixing bowl. Cover the dough with a barely damp towel and let it rest for 30 minutes.
- 3
Flour your work surface again and roll out the rested dough into a long log. Divide the dough into 8 even pieces with a pastry scraper or butter knife. (The easiest way is to cut the log in half, then each half in half, and each quarter in half until you have 8 pieces.) Dust your rolling pin with flour. Roll one segment into a 5-inch circle.
- 4
Have 3 tablespoons of the high heat oil in a small bowl and a pastry brush ready. Lightly brush the top of the circle with oil. Sprinkle with oiled part with salt and scallions.
- 5
Roll up each circle into another cylinder, making sure the scallions stay in place.
- 6
Coil the dough so that it resembles a snail.
- 7
With a rolling pin, flatten the coil into circles about 5 inches in diameter and 1/4 inch thick. The pancakes will get a little oily from the scallions popping through the dough. Place the rolled-out pancakes on a parchment paper (or you can stack them with squares of parchment in between each pancake) and repeat with the remaining dough. Whatever you don’t cooking immediately can be frozen for future use.
- 8
Prepare the dipping sauce: In a small bowl, mix together the soy sauce and chili oil or hot sauce.
- 9
Heat a nonstick flat-bottomed skillet or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat and add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Working in batches, pan-fry the pancakes until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes on each side. If the sides or middle puff up during the cooking, press them down with a spatula to ensure even cooking. (You may also need another tablespoon of oil between the batches.) Transfer the pancakes to a plate, cut into wedges, and serve with the dipping sauce.