Scallion Pancakes

A staple Chinese snack, often eaten at dim sum, is the green onion pancake, or scallion pancake. The origins of the humble pancake are rather uncertain, but the sweet and salty crunch make this an undeniable treat! The method is very similar to making parathas, which is an Indian style flatbread. Basically, the key to the bread is creating many layers to add air, dimension, and texture. With parathas, you would do this by rolling out a circle, coating the top in oil, then crimping the dough like a paper fan (before you unravel it). With the scallions, we roll the dough into a flat circle, add the sesame oil and scallions, then roll the circle together.

Thanks to the following blogs, who have great pictures and helped me formulate my recipe! Live2Cook, Tigers and Strawberries, and Appetite for China. I totally recommend visiting one or a few of them because they've photographed the rolling and folding process so you can do it too!


Scallion Pancakes makes 15 4-inch pancakes
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup HOT water
3 large scallions, chopped finely. Try to get scallions with much more green than white. Although the whites are useable, they do not impart as sweet a flavor as the green.
2 tsp salt
2 tsp sesame oil (or vegetable oil)
1 tbsp vegetable oil for frying

1. Mix the flour and salt together in a large mixing bowl. Add the hot water in slowly - a few tablespoons at a time. Mix slowly with a spatula (its hot water - using your hands is not a bright idea) until all water is incorporated and you have a ball of dough. 
2. Knead well until smooth (I had a lot of uneven flour). Cover with plastic wrap or a towel and allow to rest for one hour. Make sure you push the plastic wrap or towel right up to the dough so a skin doesn't form. The heat will allow the dough to rise and continue smoothing out.
3. When the dough is finished resting, cut off a ping pong sized ball of dough. Roll between your palms into a ball and place on your baking mat. Dab a drop of sesame oil onto the top of the ball and brush a little onto your rolling pin. Roll out the dough into a thin circle (about 4-5 inches).
4. Brush the top of the circle with sesame oil - just a mere layer, you don't need a lot.
5. Sprinkle scallions over the top into a thin layer.
6. Roll the circle up into a rope, then coil into a flat jelly roll, or cinnamon roll.
7. Flatten with your palm and brush the top of the coil with a tiny bit more sesame oil.
8. Roll the coil out into a 4 inch circle. It should not be thinker than 1/4th of an inch.
9. Place on plastic wrap or waxed paper, cover, and keep rolling!
10. To cook, heat 1 tbsp oil in a nonstick pan. When hot, reduce heat to medium, and place the pancakes in the pan, but make sure they aren't touching. Make sure to wiggle them a little so you're sure they don't stick.
11. When the edges become translucent, go ahead and flip them over. They should develop nice brown toasty spots on either side.
12. Serve with soy sauce mixed with a little bit of sriracha and sesame seeds! Or make a sandwich with egg in the middle. Enjoy!