The best part of any Chinese takeout night is the scallion pancakes. As much as I love them, though, it makes me cringe at how loaded with fat, salt, and additives they are. So of course I had to come up with a homemade, relatively healthy version; I often batch cook these over the weekend and freeze them for busy weekdays, and they also make great after-school snacks.
Servings: 5
Prep Time: 20 minutesmins
Cook Time: 10 minutesmins
Total Time: 30 minutesmins
Ingredients
Pancakes
1 1/2cupsall-purpose flour, (+1 tablespoon)
3/4cupboiling water
7tablespoonscanola oil or oil of choice, (divided)
1tablespoontoasted sesame oil
1teaspoonkosher salt
4scallions, (thinly sliced)
Dipping Sauce
2tablespoonssoy sauce
1scallion, (thinly sliced)
1tablespoonwater
2teaspoonsrice vinegar
1teaspoonmaple syrup
1teaspoontoasted sesame oil
1pinchred pepper flakes
Instructions
In a bowl, using a wooden spoon, mix 1 1/2 cups flour and boiling water to form a rough dough.
Transfer dough to a lightly floured counter and knead until a tacky (but not sticky) ball forms.
Cover with parchment paper and let rest for 30 minutes.
While the dough is resting, stir together 1 tablespoon of oil of choice, sesame oil, and the remaining 1 tablespoon of flour. Set aside.
In a small bowl, whisk together all dipping sauce ingredients (soy sauce, scallion, water, rice vinegar, maple syrup, sesame oil, pepper flakes).
Preheat a 10-inch cast-iron skillet over low heat.
On a lightly floured counter, divide the dough in half and roll both halves into 12-inch rounds.
Drizzle rounds with 1 tablespoon oil flour mixture and use a pastry brush to spread evenly over the entire surface.
Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and half scallions, then roll dough into a cylinder.
Coil the cylinder into a spiral, tuck ends underneath, and flatten the spiral by rolling it out into a 9-inch round.
Cut a 1/2-inch slit in the center of the pancake for steam to escape while cooking.
Cover with plastic, then roll and cut slit in second pancake.
Place 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a skillet and increase heat to medium-low.
Place 1 pancake in the skillet (oil should sizzle), cover, and cook, shaking skillet occasionally until the pancake is slightly puffy and golden brown on the underside (about 1-1 1/2 minutes), increasing heat if not browning.
Drizzle 1 tablespoon vegetable oil over the pancake, then carefully flip again, cover, and cook, shaking the skillet occasionally until the second side is golden brown (about 1-1 1/2 minutes).
Repeat with the second pancake. (For crisper pancakes, use a spatula to press down on the pancake and cook well on both sides.)
Transfer to a wire rack to cool slightly.
Cut each pancake into wedges and serve with dipping sauce.