For some reason, I’ve had savory pancakes on the brain lately. Maybe its due to the sudden change in temperature—food that is warm and bread-like just tastes really good to me around this time of year. Besides tasting really fantastic (think greasy, crispy, savory), I love the process-oriented method for creating these. The repeated kneading, rolling, coiling and shaping steps required is meditative and relaxing, and taking the first bite into one of these fresh-off-the-skillet pancakes is completely and blissfully comforting.
SCALLION PANCAKES
Yield 4 servings
Ingredients
for the dipping sauce
- 2/3 cup mirin
- 4 TB soy sauce
- 1 tsp red chili flakes
- 1 tsp lime juice
- 1 tsp grated ginger
- 1 tsp grated garlic
- 1 tsp sugar
for the pancakes
- 2 cups flour
- 1 cup boiling water
- toasted sesame seed oil
- 2 cups thinly sliced scallion greens
- olive oil for frying
Instructions
- Whisk together the dipping sauce ingredients. Set aside.
- Blend together the flour and water until smooth, using either a food processor or the flat beater attachment with a KitchenAid mixer. Form into a ball and place in a greased bowl. Cover the bowl with a damp towel and let it sit for about 30 minutes.
- Remove the dough from the bowl and knead a few times on a floured surface. Separate the dough into four round spheres.
- Using a rolling pin, flatten out the first sphere into the thinnest, roundest shape possible. Place about a tablespoon of the toasted sesame oil in the center. Using a pastry brush, distribute the oil so it covers the top of the pancake, adding more oil as needed.
- Now, roll up the pancake tightly, so it forms one long, thin cylinder. Coil the cylinder into a round shape, like a snail shell. Taking your rolling pin, flatten it out again and shape into a thin round pancake.
- Take a handful of the chopped scallions and scatter them evenly across the surface of the pancake. Roll up the pancake tightly, so it forms one long, thin cylinder again.
- Coil the cylinder into a round shape again, like a snail shell. Taking your rolling pin, flatten it out again and shape into a thin, round pancake. Set aside and make the other three pancakes.
- Heat 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil in a flat-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. Place one of the prepared pancakes in the skillet and fry until golden brown (about 4-5 minutes) on each side, regreasing the skillet as needed.
- Using a pizza slicer, cut into wedges and serve with the dipping sauce and any extra chopped scallions.
I always used to love getting scallion pancakes with Chinese takeout but making them at home sounds like a nice treat.
Beautiful scallion pancakes! I've been meaning to make some off the SE post–can't wait to give your veganized version a whirl!
Gave you the Liebster award. http://veganlinda.blogspot.com/2011/10/pale-pizza-pajama-party.html
Thanks Linda — I'm very flattered!
These sound lovely. I wonder how a gluten free flour would work in this recipe?
Thanks Amanda — Not sure how a gf flour would work, but came across this gf recipe that sounds amazing: http://renegadekitchen.com/scallion-pancakes/ I hope you can try these out — I'm still deciding which is more fun: eating them or making them!
wow- these look amazing!
ooooh! I LOVE scallion pancakes, and I have had thoughts of making them for YEARS, but still have never tried it. Thanks for the recipe, I'll definitely bookmark it!
These look yummy!