Scallion Pancakes

Method

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1. Stir the just-boiled water into the flour and salt with chopsticks, then add the cold water and bring together. Knead 6 minutes to a smooth, soft dough.

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2. Cover and rest 30 minutes.

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3. Make the roux: heat the oil until shimmering, take off the heat, and whisk in the flour and salt to a loose paste. Cool.

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4. Divide the dough into 4 and roll each into a thin rectangle, about 2 mm.

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5. Spread a quarter of the oil roux thinly over the whole surface and scatter with spring onions.

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6. Roll up tightly from the long edge into a rope, then coil the rope into a spiral and tuck the end underneath.

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7. Rest the coils 15 minutes, then flatten each gently with a rolling pin to a 16 cm disc. Do not press hard — you want the layers intact.

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8. Fry in a heavy pan with 1 tablespoon of oil each over medium heat for 3 minutes a side until deep golden and crisp.

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9. Whisk the dipping sauce together. Cut the pancakes into wedges and serve hot with the sauce.

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Chef’s Tips

• Roll the dough as thin as you can before filling. Thin dough plus a tight coil is what makes the layers.
• The flour-and-oil roux is what stops the layers merging. Plain oil leaks and gives a solid pancake.
• Slap the cooked pancake between your hands or squash it in the pan to separate the layers before serving.

Common Substitutions & Variations

• Out of spring onions? A small regular onion, finely sliced, or a few chives stirred in at the end both cover the job.
• A pinch of dried chilli flakes works in place of fresh chilli — start with about a third of the quantity the chilli in the list implies, since dried chilli is more concentrated, and add more to taste.

Pairing Suggestions

• The soy and vinegar dipping sauce
• Congee, as breakfast
• Hot Chinese tea

Storage & Reheating

Uncooked coils freeze 2 months; roll and fry from frozen. Cooked ones re-crisp in a dry pan.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.