Ingredients
Dough
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup boiling water
- 1/4 cup cool water
Filling
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup peanut oil (or your favorite oil like olive oil, melted coconut oil, melted butter, or melted chicken fat)
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 8 green onions, split down the middle and chopped (yield about 1 cup)
For Pan Frying
- Vegetable oil (enough to coat the pan bottom)
Dipping Sauce
- 1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Chinkiang vinegar (or rice vinegar)
- 1/4 teaspoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon water (to dissolve sugar)
Instructions
- Make the dough: Combine flour and salt in a large bowl. Slowly drizzle in hot water while stirring with chopsticks or fork until water is absorbed. Then drizzle in cool water and continue stirring until dough flakes form. Press dough together and knead until a firm ball forms, about 5 minutes. Cover and let rest for 20 minutes. Alternatively, use a mixer with a dough hook to mix and knead the dough.
- Make the filling: While the dough rests, mix flour, oil, and salt into a smooth paste in a small bowl.
- Prepare dipping sauce: Combine soy sauce, Chinkiang vinegar, sugar, and water in a small bowl and stir until sugar dissolves.
- Form the scallion pancakes: Knead the rested dough again until smooth. Cut into 6 equal pieces (about 76g each) and form into balls. Roll each ball into a thin rectangle about 6×10 inches. Spread about 1 tablespoon of filling over the dough, leaving a 1-inch border on two edges. Sprinkle 2 heaping tablespoons of chopped green onions forming an L shape near one corner.
- Roll and shape pancakes: Roll the dough from the longer side with the green onion filling into a long tube. Flatten lightly, pinch and seal the side with most green onions. Roll and tuck the loose end under to form a round disk. Cover with plastic wrap and repeat for all pancakes.
- Roll out pancakes: Roll each pancake disk into a flat circle about 7-8 inches wide, flipping often to prevent sticking. You may see air bubbles or onions fall out—this is normal.
- Freeze option: Place pancakes on parchment paper stacked with layers, seal in ziplock bag for freezing up to 3 months.
- Cook scallion pancakes: Heat a 9-inch cast iron or nonstick skillet over medium-high and add enough vegetable oil to coat the bottom. Once hot, add a pancake and swirl to coat with oil. Cover and cook on medium heat for 1 minute. Flip, cover, and cook another minute. Then uncover and press pancake with spatula to ensure even browning; continue cooking flipping regularly until crisp and golden, about 3 minutes. Adjust heat to medium-low if pan gets too hot. Transfer cooked pancakes to a cooling rack or board.
- Serve: Let pancakes cool slightly, cut each into 6 slices, and serve hot with dipping sauce.
- Cook frozen pancakes: Let thaw 10 minutes, then proceed to cook as above starting with rolling out (step 6).
- Store and reheat cooked pancakes: Refrigerate leftovers in a ziplock bag for up to 3 days. Reheat by pan heating over medium heat, flipping occasionally until warm.
Notes
- You can use alternative oils like olive oil, melted coconut oil, butter, or melted chicken fat in the filling for different flavors.
- Rolling and shaping the pancakes carefully helps create flaky layers with air pockets.
- If dough is sticky, dust with flour to prevent sticking while rolling.
- Cover dough and pancakes with plastic wrap to prevent drying out during resting and shaping.
- Adjust oil amount if frying to ensure pancakes do not stick and brown evenly.
- Frozen pancakes can be kept for up to 3 months and cooked directly from thawed state.
- The dipping sauce can be customized by adding chili oil or garlic for extra kick.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Chinese
