Do you love scallion pancakes? I know we do! There are so many different recipes for this dish, and each chef has their own way of making them. Some people like them crispy, while others prefer them to be soft and chewy. Today I will share a recipe for scallion pancakes that is our family’s favorite. It is easy to make, and consistently produces scallion pancakes that are crispy and flaky outside and soft inside with rich flavors.
Scallion pancake is a traditional dish in China. It is called 葱油饼 in Chinese, meaning scallion oil pancake. It is so traditional that every person must have had it sometime somewhere. It is also very versatile. Back in my home in East China, my mother makes soft and fluffy scallion pancakes with eggs and flour. After I grew up and travelled to other regions, I discovered other types. For example, in Northern China, people prefer thick and chewy scallion pancakes that are make of just flour without eggs.
Here in the US, we could find them from Asian markets. However, our children’s favorite is the Scallion pancakes from Trader Joe’s. With some research and home experiments, I developed my very own recipe that combines the traditional Chinese pancake with flavorful Indian spices. This is not exactly the copycat of the Trader Joe’s scallion pancakes. But they have the same crispy and flaky textures that our family love.
Jump to RecipeThe ingredients are simple. All you need is:
– All purpose flour
– Water
– Salt
– (Optional) cumin powder, gram masala powder, red chili powder (Here is when you could be creative and use combination of your favorite spices. )
– Oil (I prefer to use olive oil)
A very soft and stretchy dough is key to the success. It is what makes the pancake crispy outside and soft inside. Therefore this recipe asks for more water than a regular dough does. To make the dough, mix flour, water and salt in a bowl using a spatula (instead of your hand) until it forms into a sticky ball. Let it sit for five minutes. Then knead the dough for about five minutes to form a smooth ball.
Be patient when you knead the dough if the dough feels a little sticky. It will become smooth. Cover the dough and let it sit for 30 minutes or longer. The dough will be smooth and pliable, easy for next steps.
The dough is very easy to roll out due to its high water content and soft nature. Once you divide the dough to six equal sections and roll them into small balls, pour some oil over and roll the balls so that they are evenly covered in oil. Then you could easily roll out the dough into a very thin sheet without getting it stuck to the board or the rolling pin.
Chop the scallions fine, and mix them well with spices and oil. Use generous amount of oil here as you will need to cover the whole sheet. Although simple salt and black pepper will make nice traditional scallion pancakes, we like the masala version with a mix of Indian spices.
Evenly spread the scallion-spice-oil mixture over the sheet use a spatula, back of a spoon, or your fingers. Make sure the sheet is covered in oil. From one side of the sheet, roll it up tightly into a tube, as shown in the pictures below next to the step-by-step recipe. Next roll the tube into a round coil and tuck the ends in. Using your palms or rolling pin to flatten the coil. The scallion filling may leak out. Don’t worry. They will taste just as good.
It is as easy as making breakfast pancakes. Heat up a nonstick skillet over medium high heat. When it is hot, place the pancake in and let it cook until both sides are crispy and golden brown, about two minutes per side. If you see big bubbles forming, press them down with the spatula so that the pancake cooks evenly throughout. Normally you won’t need to add any extra oil as there is plenty in the pancakes. However, it is okay to add drops of oil if the pancakes stick to the pan.
live in Ann Arbor, MI with my husband and our children and Mango the orange tabby. I love hiking, running, baking, cooking and biking. I set up this blog to share wonderful food our family love.