Flaky Scallion pancakes
I was craving scallion pancakes 蔥油餅 and became curious how they were made. After some research and a call to mom, I was inspired to get in the kitchen and make them. All you need is a handful of pantry ingredients and time, which I have a ton of! I gave it a try and I am going to be making these for breakfast, lunch and dinner! So simple, so quick and so flaky!!!
flaky scallion pancakes
Prep time: 20 minutes | Total time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Makes: 4
Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
Kosher salt
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1 cup boiling water
6 scallions, thinly sliced, about 6 tablespoons
1/4 cup vegetable oil, plus more for brushing
3 tablespoons ponzu*
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon sambal oelek or sriracha
Instructions:
Whisk all-purpose flour with 1 teaspoon kosher salt in a large bowl. Create a well in the center and pour half the boiling water. Mix with a rubber spatula until flour absorbed most of the water. Add the remaining water and 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil. Mix until just combined. It will look shaggy (Photo above).
Lightly dust a clean counter with flour. Scrap the dough mixture on top along with any remaining bits in the bowl. Knead until a ball forms. Might need to sprinkle additional flour to help with the stickiness. Transfer to a clean bowl and let rest for at least 1 hour or up to 8 hours.**
Meanwhile, mix the ponzu, soy sauce, sambal oelek, 1 tablespoon sliced scallions and remaining sesame oil in a small bowl. Set aside.
When rough has rest, lightly dust a clean counter with flour. Divide the dough ball into 4 equal pieces. Working with one piece at a time, roll out to an 8-inch thin circle. Drizzle about 1/2 teaspoon of vegetable oil and spread evenly with the back of a spoon. Evenly sprinkle about 1 heaping tablespoon of sliced scallion. Roll the dough up into a tight cylinder. Roll the cylinder to a 10 to 12-inch log. Twist into a spiral and pinch the end of the coil to the bottom of the spiral. Gently flatten the disk and re-roll into a 7-inch wide and 1/8-inch thin disk. Repeat with the remaining dough. This will allow the ready to be fried disk to rest.
Heat 2 tablespoons oil to a medium non-stick skillet over medium high heat. Once the skillet is shimmering, add the first disk of dough. Let fry until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Press down with a large silicone flipper for 10 seconds. Flip and continue to cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes more. Transfer to paper towel lined plate.*** Repeat with remaining pancakes. Add 1 tablespoon of oil in for every new batch.
Cut each pancake into 8 wedges and serve with dipping sauce. Enjoy while warm.
Cook’s Note
What is ponzu and how can what I can do for a substitution?*
Ponzu is a citrus-based sauce popular in Japanese cuisine. It is tart and savory sauce with a dark brown color. My favorite brand is from Kikkoman. Need a substitution, check out below:
2 tablespoons fresh lime or lemon juice
2 teaspoons tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
Why rest the dough?**
Resting the dough will help with the texture. During this time, the gluten in the flour is resting.
Make ahead tip***
Preheat an oven to 200 degrees F. Transfer fried pancakes to a cooling rack lined baking sheet and keep them warm in the oven. Keeping it on the rack will allow them to stay crispy. Do not stack them or they will be soggy.