Chinese scallion pancakes

Ingredients

• 125 g (1 cup)plain flour
• ¼ tspsalt
• 80 ml (⅓ cup), plus a little more if neededboiling-hot water
• 2 (or 3 if small)spring onions
• 8 g (1 tbsp)plain flour
• 7.5 ml (½ tbsp)vegetable oil, or another neutral oil
• 7.5 ml (½ tbsp)sesame oil
• 15 ml (1 tbsp)soy sauce
• 1 tspsugar
• 7.5 ml (½ tbsp)rice vinegar
• 5 ml (1 tsp)sesame oil
• 30 ml (2 tbsp), or as neededvegetable oil, or another neutral oil

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the dough

   Mix the flour and salt in a bowl. Add the hot water and stir until a smooth dough forms, adding a little more water if needed so it comes together into a ball without becoming wet. Knead for 3–5 minutes, wrap in cling film and leave to rest for about 30 minutes.

2. 2

   Prepare the filling

   Trim the white part and dark ends from the spring onions, then finely chop the light and mid-green parts and set aside. In a separate bowl, mix the 1 tbsp flour with the ½ tbsp vegetable oil and ½ tbsp sesame oil into a smooth paste.

3. 3

   Mix the sauce

   Stir together the soy sauce, sugar, rice vinegar and 1 tsp sesame oil. Set aside; mix again just before serving if the sesame oil has separated.

4. 4

   Roll the dough

   Divide the rested dough into four equal pieces and roll them into balls. Keep three covered while you work with the first. Roll it out as thinly and widely as possible, into a circle or rectangle.

5. 5

   Shape the pancakes

   Brush a thin layer of the flour-and-oil paste over the dough and scatter about 1 rounded tbsp of chopped spring onions evenly over it. Starting at one side, roll the dough into a fairly tight log. Flatten the log slightly with the seam facing up, then coil it so the seam is inside; press or tuck the end against the coil. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.

6. 6

   Flatten the coils

   Press each coil gently with your hand, then roll it into a circle about 15 cm (6 in) across. If air bubbles break or pieces of spring onion come out, tuck them back in.

7. 7

   Fry and serve

   Warm a thin layer of the 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a small frying pan over a medium heat. Fry each pancake for 1–2 minutes on each side, until lightly browned over most of the surface and cooked through, adding more oil as needed. Cut into quarters or smaller triangles and serve warm with the dipping sauce. Bend the pancakes a little before cutting or eating to help separate the layers.

What are Chinese scallion pancakes?

Scallion pancakes, also known as cong you bing, are savoury Chinese flatbreads layered with spring onion and cooked in a pan. They are enjoyed as street food and as a snack or side dish.

This version builds layers by spreading an oil-and-flour paste over thin dough, then rolling and coiling it before cooking. The method gives the pancakes a chewy middle with crisp, browned patches.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 230 calories, 4g protein, 27g carbs, 12g fat.

The flour provides most of the carbohydrates, while the vegetable and sesame oils contribute most of the fat. The dough and spring onions provide a little protein, but the pancake itself is not especially protein-rich; pair it with a protein-rich dish and vegetables for a more balanced plate.

Hot-water dough

Water temperature: the recipe uses boiling-hot water to bring the flour together into a smooth dough. Add a little extra only if the mixture will not form a ball; it should not feel wet.

Resting: wrap the kneaded dough and leave it for about 30 minutes. This gives it time to relax, making it easier to roll thinly.

Spring onion and paste

Green parts: use the light and mid-green sections of the spring onions, finely chopped, for an even spread through the layers.

Oil paste: blend the flour with both oils until smooth, then brush on a thin layer. It helps create separation between the rolled layers without weighing down the dough.

Rolling in layers

Thin sheet: roll each piece as widely and thinly as you can, in either a circle or rectangle. A silicone mat can make rolling easier.

Coil: roll the filled sheet into a log, flatten it slightly, then wind it into a coil with the seam tucked inside. This compact shape is what makes the finished pancake layered.

Frying and texture

Pan heat: use medium heat and a thin layer of oil. The pancakes should brown lightly on both sides in 1–2 minutes per side while cooking through.

Layer check: some bubbles may pop or spring onion may poke through as you roll; tuck any loose pieces back in. Gently bending the cooked pancake can help loosen its layers.

Serving ideas

Dipping sauce: serve the pancakes warm with the soy, sesame and rice vinegar sauce. Give the sauce another stir just before serving if the sesame oil has separated.

On the plate: cut each pancake into quarters or smaller triangles. They make a snack or a side alongside a meal.

Recipe notes & tips

• Keep the dough pieces you are not rolling covered so they do not dry out.
• Spread the oil-and-flour paste thinly across the dough rather than applying it in a thick layer.
• Use about 1 rounded tbsp of chopped spring onions for each pancake.
• If the dough resists rolling, give it a brief pause before continuing.
• Mix the dipping sauce again just before serving if the sesame oil has separated.
• Fry the pancakes in batches, adding only enough oil to keep a thin layer in the pan.

Variations

• More spring onion: add a little extra chopped green onion to the filling.
• Chilli dip: add chilli to the dipping sauce for a hotter accompaniment.
• Extra sesame: finish the sauce with a few sesame seeds.
• Smaller pancakes: divide the dough into more pieces and roll each one smaller.
• Different neutral oil: use another neutral-tasting oil in place of the vegetable oil.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Wet dough: add the hot water gradually and stop when the dough forms a ball without feeling wet.
• Dry dough: add a little more hot water if the flour will not come together.
• Dough drying out: keep the unused pieces covered while shaping each pancake.
• Filling escaping: roll the dough into a fairly tight log and tuck the seam inside the coil.
• Pancakes browning too quickly: keep the pan at medium heat and adjust it if needed.
• Separated sauce: stir it again just before serving.

How to store

Store cooled pancakes in an airtight container in the fridge and eat within 3 days. Reheat in a lightly oiled frying pan over medium heat until warmed through and crisped again.

Frequently asked questions