Scallion pancakes (Cong You Bing, 葱油饼)

Crispy, flaky and tasty

As shown in the image above, scallion pancakes can be made thin or thick. Both versions share the same features: crispy, flaky and tasty. Before explaining the recipe in detail, let me summarise a few key tips for achieving the best result.

• Make it crispy by regulating the heat properly. Start with a hot pan then cook over medium heat.
• Make it flaky by brushing a good layer of flour oil paste in between layers and rolling up loosely. 
• Make it tasty by using a generous amount of fresh scallions and your favourite spice.

Make the dough

Compared to the dough for dumplings or steamed buns, the dough for scallion pancakes is simpler in all respects. So it’s totally novice-friendly.

Flour type

You can use any type of white, wheat-based flour. I list all-purpose flour in the recipe simply for its accessibility. Wholemeal flour isn’t suitable for this recipe but you can mix it with white flour. I recommend a ratio of 3:7.

Use hot water 

Flour and water are the only ingredients you need for the dough. Instead of room temperature water typically used in the non-yeast dough (e.g. regular dumpling dough), boiling water is added to the flour in this case.

The protein of the flour is “cooked” so the gluten network is not as tight as that of the cold water dough. This results in a more forgiving and less elastic texture thus making kneading and shaping as easy as they can be.

The ideal ratio

I recommend a flour to water ratio of around 3:2 by WEIGHT. For example, to make 4 pieces of scallion pancakes, you’d need 250g flour and 160g hot water.

I always recommend novice cooks measure with a scale to achieve the desired result. That said, if you have to use measuring cups, the above quantity could translate to 2 cups of flour and ⅔ cup of hot water.

The dough should be on the soft side but not sticky. Please feel free to adjust if necessary as the type and brand of your flour may affect the optimal ratio.

Combine and rest

In a bowl, stir and mix flour and hot water with chopsticks until there is no more loose flour. Then combine by hand to form a rough-looking dough. At this stage, it isn’t necessary to overly knead to make it smooth.

Cover the dough tightly with a piece of cling film. This is to prevent the moisture from evaporating since it’s a warm dough. Leave to rest on the counter for 15 minutes or so.

Then knead again until it becomes very smooth. Unlike working with other types of dough which require lengthy kneading, you’ll be surprised how fast this process is. It only takes 10-15 strokes to make it completely creaseless. 

Prepare the filling

While waiting for the dough to rest, prepare the filling ingredients.

Scallions

Chop scallions into fine pieces. If they’re quite thick, halve lengthwise then cut. Don’t stint on the quantity. The more the merrier. You may use both the white part and green part, or only the green saving the white for other dishes (e.g. make Chinese scallion oil).

A type of fat

Traditional scallion pancakes call for lard (rendered pork fat) for its thick consistency and flavour. Rendered chicken or duck fat would work too.

For a vegan diet, use coconut oil instead. Alternatively, use any oil available, such as peanut, canola, sunflower, olive, vegetable oil, etc. Sesame oil is an option too but I suggest you reduce the quantity as it has a very strong aroma.

Flour

It’s mixed with the lard/oil to form a paste which helps to laminate layers of the dough. 

Salt & a type of spice

My family love using ground Sichuan pepper for the tingling sensation it creates on the palate. Five-spice powder, cumin powder, and ground black pepper are good choices too.

In a small bowl, combine the fat/oil, flour, salt and spice into a smooth paste. If using lard or coconut oil, melt it first then mix. 

Stuff and shape

Now it’s time to assemble the pancakes.

To prevent the dough from sticking, apply a thin layer of oil over the entire dough and the board/work surface you’re using. Dusting with flour could serve the same purpose but I find it often makes the dough drier.

With a rolling pin (any type), press the dough, then gently push it in all directions to flatten it into a thin rectangle piece. For your reference, mine measures about 43cm(17″) by 33cm (13”).

Use the back of a spoon or a brush to evenly spread the filling mixture over the dough. Sprinkle the chopped scallions on top. 

From the shorter side of the dough, loosely roll the dough into a rope.

Then cut it into sections. Stand up one piece with the cut side facing up.

Press with your fingers then roll it flat with the rolling pin.

Thick or thin?

How thin should I roll my pancakes? You may ask. I showcase two options in this recipe. Choose whichever you fancy!

• The thick version: Divide the rolled dough into 4 sections. Each flattened pancake measures about 13cm/5″ in diameter and ½ cm/ ⅕” thick. Four pieces fit in a large frying pan so you can cook all at once. They’re crispy on the surface but soft in the middle, so you get a contrasting texture in every bite.
• The thin version: Divide the rolled dough into 3 sections. Flatten each piece as thin as possible (Mine measures about 23cm/9” in diameter). This is a more traditional look (my parents always make them this way). Compared to the thick version, they offer a pleasant chewier texture.  

Pan-fry

It’s easy to pan-fry scallion pancakes. But to achieve the perfect texture, crispy but not dry, you’d need to pay attention to three things: control the temperature, cover the pan and watch the timing.

Heat oil in a frying pan/skillet over high heat until hot. It’s important to have a hot pan when you place the pancakes in. Otherwise, the dough tends to soak up more oil resulting in a greasy taste. Drop a piece of scallions, or a sesame seed, to test. If it sizzles, the oil is hot enough.

Once you put the pancakes in, remember to adjust to medium-high heat. Then cover the pan with a tight lid. This helps to cook them evenly without losing much moisture. If the temperature remains high, the outer layer will get burnt before the inner part is fully cooked.

When the first side becomes golden brown, flip over to cook the other side (always have the lid on). It took me about 4 minutes to cook both sides for thick pancakes. Thin pancakes would take less time. But the cooking time may vary in your case. Check the donees more often if unsure. 

If available, use a wire rack to rest the pancakes for a short while before serving. If placed on a plate right away, condensation will form making them soggy. Also, if your pancakes are thick, the remaining heat cooks the inside further.

🛎 TIP: It’s fine to cook these pancakes without oil (I often do so to reduce oil intake), like how I pan-bake the flatbread for Rou Jia Mo (Chinese pork burger).

Serving ideas

If you’ve made thick pancakes, tear them into pieces to eat. Whereas the thin version is often sliced into wedges, just like how you cut a pizza (see image below).

I grew up eating scallion pancakes as part of a multi-dish meal when we weren’t having steamed rice as a staple. It was usually paired with a few savoury dishes and congee or soup. We also ate them as breakfast or afternoon snacks.

Scallion pancakes sold in Chinese restaurants sometimes come with a dipping sauce. If this is what you prefer, you can get inspiration in my post on dumpling sauces. Alternatively, just dip them in Chinese chilli oil, with or without the company of black rice vinegar, light soy sauce, etc.

How to make ahead

Do you know that uncooked scallion pancakes freeze well? If you plan to eat them regularly, I suggest you make a big batch at once following these steps:

• Multiply the quantity of the ingredients proportionally.
• Make the dough then stuff and shape the pancakes.
• Pile them up using parchment paper to separate each piece to prevent sticking.
• Put them in airtight bags and store in the freezer.

Whenever you fancy a piece, simply pull out one and pan-fry following the same method without defrosting. If your pancakes are on the thick side, add a little water to the pan before you put the lid over the pan. The steam will help cook the middle part thoroughly, just like how you make pan-fried Chinese dumplings.

FAQ

Other classic Chinese staples