Spring / No. 03 / Laminating a hot-water dough
Flaky Scallion Pancakes
Chewy, flaky scallion pancakes made from a simple hot-water dough rolled with oil and scallions, coiled and pan-fried. With a soy-vinegar dip.
- Prep
- 40 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Total
- 1 hr
- Yield
- 4 pancakes
Photo: Plate of scallion pancakes by Infrogmation of New Orleans, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.
Good scallion pancakes have layers you can pull apart, crisp edges and a tender, chewy middle. The method is a small lesson in lamination, the same idea behind puff pastry, only far more relaxed. You roll a dough thin, brush it with oil, scatter it with scallions, roll it up like a rope, coil it and roll it flat again.
The dough is made with boiling water, which partly cooks the flour and makes it soft and easy to roll without springing back. Spring scallions, young and mild, are ideal, but you can make these any time of year.
Method
- 1
Make the dough: combine the flour and salt in a bowl. Pour in the boiling water while stirring with chopsticks or a fork, then add the cold water. When cool enough to handle, knead for 4 to 5 minutes into a smooth ball. Cover and rest for 30 minutes.
- 2
Stir together the 3 tablespoons oil, 1 tablespoon flour and salt to make a loose paste. Whisk the dipping sauce ingredients in a small bowl.
- 3
Divide the dough into 4 pieces. On a lightly floured surface, roll one piece into a thin rectangle about 10 by 8 inches.
- 4
Brush with a quarter of the oil paste and scatter with a quarter of the scallions. Roll it up tightly from a long side into a rope, then coil the rope into a snail shape, tucking the end underneath.
- 5
Rest the coil for 5 minutes, then gently roll it into a 7-inch round. Repeat with the remaining dough.
- 6
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Cook a pancake for 2 to 3 minutes per side, until deep golden and crisp, adding a little more oil when you flip.
- 7
Transfer to a cutting board and, while hot, press the edges toward the center with two spatulas to loosen the layers. Cut into wedges and serve with the dipping sauce.
Cook's notes
- The dough can be made a day ahead and refrigerated; bring it to room temperature before rolling.
- Shaped, uncooked pancakes freeze well between sheets of parchment. Cook from frozen, a minute longer per side.
- For extra crunch, sprinkle toasted sesame seeds over the scallions before rolling.
Keeping
Cooked pancakes are best hot. Leftovers keep for 2 days refrigerated; reheat in a dry skillet over medium heat.
Cooking times and temperatures are guides; ovens, stoves and ingredients vary. This recipe is for home cooking and is not dietary or medical advice. Check labels for allergens.
