Crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside. You just need flour, salt, water, scallions and oil to easily create a restaurant favorite at home!
Serve with dipping sauce as an appetizer, snack or light meal on its own.
If your scallions (green onions) are thick, cut in half lengthwise first, then slice into small pieces. Thick scallions makes the dough more difficult to roll.
The flour paste makes the pancakes extra crispy and flaky but if you prefer not to make the paste, just brush some oil on top before adding scallions. Heating the oil is not necessary, but I find that the flour mixes and dissolves better with hot oil.
For added flavor, you can add spices to the flour paste such as Chinese 5 spice, cumin, black pepper, etc.
You can also freeze uncooked pancakes and pan fry them when you have a craving. Add parchment paper between each pancake or wrap each pancake in plastic wrap and place in a ziploc bag. Thaw and cook as directed.
When I make a batch, I usually freeze half to keep me from eating the entire batch!
Scallion Pancakes
Dough
2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup hot water
Filling
Flour paste: 1/4 cup vegetable oil mixed with 2 Tablespoons flour
5-6 thinly sliced scallions ( green onions), mostly green parts
Oil for pan frying
Dipping Sauce
2 Tablespoons soy sauce
1 Tablespoon rice vinegar
1/2 Tablespoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon brown sugar or honey
Optional: chili flakes, sriracha, garlic chili sauce, sesame seeds or green onions
Directions
In a large bowl, mix flour and salt together. Pour in water, little at a time, and mix together with chopsticks or fork until water is absorbed and a shaggy dough forms. Using your hands, form into a ball. If you have dry flour left in the bowl, add a couple drops of water and knead together.
On a work surface, knead until the dough is smooth, about 5 minutes. Cover and let rest for 25-30 minutes. (This allows the flour to absorb water to make the dough more elastic, making it easier to work with).
Meanwhile, chop scallions, make the dipping sauce and flour paste.
Sauce: In a bowl, stir ingredients together adding any optional ingredients.
Paste: In a bowl, mix oil and flour together ( optional: warm oil in a microwave before mixing in flour).
Once dough is ready, divide the dough into 4-6 pieces (depending on the size of pancakes you want). Work with one dough at a time, covering the remaining dough to prevent drying.
Flatten the dough using the palm of your hands. With a rolling pin, roll out dough as thin as possible into a rectangle shape (doesn’t need to be perfect).
Brush with the flour paste (or just with oil) and sprinkle scallions on top. Roll up dough into a log shape. Starting with one end, curl / roll into a pinwheel (cinnamon roll shape) and tuck the end on the bottom.
Rub some oil on top or keep covered to prevent drying while you roll out remaining dough.
Starting with the first dough you rolled (allowing the dough to rest makes it easier to work with) roll out into a circle using a rolling pin.
Heat oil in a frying pan, add pancake and pan fry for 3-5 minutes on each side or until golden brown (flip over a few times to ensure even crispiness).
While it’s frying, roll out next dough and repeat process.
Serve with dipping sauce.