9-Layer Chinese Scallion Pancakes
Recipe by The Woks of Life
ABOUT THE WOKS OF LIFE:
“The Woks of Life is a multigenerational family food blog founded by parents Bill and Judy Leung and their daughters, Sarah and Kaitlin, and has been called the ‘bible of Chinese home cooking.’ Their cookbook, The Woks of Life: Recipes to Know and Love from a Chinese American Family is a New York Times and USA Today best seller. The family lives in New Jersey, where they cook, write, and photograph recipes together—and continue their eternal debate over what’s for dinner.”
THE ORIGIN:
“We all grew up enjoying scallion pancakes, especially Judy, who grew up in Shanghai, China, before moving to the US at 16. Because they’re so easy to make, with relatively few ingredients, they’re enjoyed everywhere in China—at home, from street vendors, and even in restaurants. They’re comfort food! This particular recipe, however, was developed by Bill, who was inspired to develop this recipe after watching street vendors in China craft scallion pancakes for eager customers.”
HOW TO SERVE:
“Scallion pancakes are usually a breakfast food or street snack. You may also see them served as an appetizer.”
ACROSS THE COUNTRY:
“Ovens aren’t common in China, so if there’s a flour-based dough being made, it’s usually going to be steamed, boiled, fried, or pan-fried. In this case, the scallion pancake dough is pan-fried until crispy.”
9-Layer Chinese Scallion Pancakes
Recipe by The Woks of Life
This nine-layer scallion pancakes recipe gives you a nice, layered, aromatic pancake that goes great with a hot soup, a Chinese weekend brunch, or any time you have a craving for a savory snack.
Ingredients
Dough:
2½ cups (313 grams) all-purpose flour½ teaspoon (1.5 grams) kosher salt⅛ teaspoon granulated sugar⅛ teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder (optional)¾ cup (180 grams) water
Sauce:
2 tablespoons (30 grams) soy sauce2 tablespoons (30 grams) water1 scallion (19 grams), chopped½ teaspoon (2 grams) granulated sugar½ teaspoon (1.5 grams) sesame seeds¼ teaspoon mashed garlic (optional)3 tablespoons (42 grams) neutral oil, divided, plus more as needed4 to 5 scallions (76 to 95 grams), chopped and divided1 tablespoon (9 grams) sesame seeds (optional), divided1 teaspoon (3 grams) kosher salt, divided
Instructions
Notes
SCALLION PANCAKE SHAPING
In order to achieve all of those delicious layers, this nine-layer scallion pancake requires some precise filling and folding.
1. Roll half of dough into a 15×9-inch rectangle. (Keep remaining dough covered with damp cloth.) Make a 3-inch-long cut at 5 inches down one long side and then at 10 inches; repeat on opposite long side. Rub about 1½ teaspoons (7.5 grams) neutral oil all over surface of rectangle, and sprinkle with half of scallions, half of sesame seeds (if using), and half of salt.
2. With dough oriented vertically, starting at bottom, fold side flaps of dough over center piece. Fold that entire rectangle forward onto center level. Fold center side flaps over, and repeat. Roll into about a 7×5½-inch rectangle (about ¾ inch thick). (Take care not to roll too firmly, as you don’t want the dough layers to bind and you want to keep some small pockets of air between them.)
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