CHINESE STYLE TAKE-OUT SCALLION PANCAKE

 

CHINESE STYLE TAKE-OUT SCALLION PANCAKE

 

Chinese take-out is a classic weekend favorite and for me it’s all about delicious appetizers. One of my favorites has always been the crispy, flakey scallion pancakes with either a spicy soy dipping sauce and a sweet, cool chili sauce. Surely these must be difficult to make? I’m here to tell you they’re incredibly easy!  With less than five ingredients, these Chinese Style Take-Out Scallion Pancakes won’t disappoint! They will become your new savory weekend favorite.

 

 

Chinese Style Take-Out Scallion Pancakes

The classic scallion pancake you know from your favorite Asian Take-Out place complete with a golden char pulls apart into a flakey layered pancake speckled with bright green scallion slices.

This recipe is based on the one that Bon Appetit featured online in 2016

 Servings 8 pancakes

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

  • 1 tsp salt

  • 1 tbs toasted sesame oil

  • 1/3 cup canola oil

  • 2 bunches scallions, thinly sliced

  • 8 tbs canola oil, divided, more for the pan

Instructions

Making the Pancakes

  1. In a bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Add 1 cup boiling water with the toasted sesame oil and begin mixing with a wooden spoon until you have what resembles a shaggy dough.

  2. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and begin kneading until the dough is smooth - about five minutes. If needed, add more flour to your surface.
    Round off the smoothed dough and place into a bowl, and cover with plastic wrap. Let it rest at room temperature for at least 1 hour.

  3. Divide the dough into eight (8) pieces. Working with one piece at a time, roll the piece on a lightly floured surface into a circle shape, making as thin as possible. You're trying for roughly 10" in diameter).
    Brush about 2 tsp of canola oil over the circle of dough and sprinkle with scallions, about 1/4 cup and season with salt.
    Roll the dough away from you into a thin-tube-like shape, then begin curling it into a coil shape (similar to a cinnamon roll). Cover with plastic. Continue this with all the pieces of dough. When done, let the coils rest for 15-minutes at room temperature.

  4. Working with one coil at a time, roll it out on a lightly floured surface to a 5-inch round. Place to the side with a piece of paper towel or plastic on top. Continue rolling out the other coils, placing each on top of the other, keeping them seperate.
    In medium pan, heat 1 tbs of oil over a medium-low flame. Working with one pancake at a time, cook, turning often so the scallions don't burn and the pancake turns a golden brown and is crisp on both sides - 8-10 minutes. Transfer the pancakes to a wire rack and let rest for 5 minutes prior to serving. To serve, cut the pancakes into wedge shapes and serve with a dipping sauce of your choice.

Scallion pancakes make a great light supper or fun nibble while movie watching and they’re the perfect crave-worthy  finger food.  I made these classic-style with scallions, but I could easily see another vegetable, perhaps chopped broccoli or ribbons of spinach…Who am I to mention, they’re also great when, let’s say, you’ve had one drink too many the night before.  When you’re making these, don’t fret if your pancakes aren’t perfectly round, perfection is a bit overrated because in the end, you’re cutting them into wedges to serve.  And, to reheat, just place the pancakes in a dry skillet over a low flame until warm.