It’s best to understand what a scallion pancake is before beginning cooking to get the most out of your dish. In its simplest form, it’s a Chinese savory flatbread made with wheat dough and minced scallions. While it’s labelled a pancake, the recipe method is actually far closer to that of pastry making, with the folding and layer making to create crispy textures. If you start cooking with this mindset, it’ll help to create the perfect scallion pancake in the end.
The boiling hot water is one of the most important factors in the recipe. Hot water doughs, commonly used for other dishes like dumplings, work differently to cold water dough. The boiling water prevents gluten forming in the same way as traditional cold water dough, so the dough naturally won’t be as stretchy as raw ones. This is ideal for creating scallion pancakes and achieving that final crispy texture you’re aiming for. It’s slightly easier to work with than cold water dough as a result of it being less stretchy.
Finally, don’t heat the pan up too high. Too high a heat will end up cooking the scallion pancakes unevenly and potentially burn them in the process. Equally, too low a heat, and they may get a little soggy cooking slowly and soaking up grease. Aim for a medium heat, as in our recipe above, to achieve the perfect texture for your scallion pancakes.
You may have heard of a Korean scallion pancake, and these are very similar to Chinese pancakes, but differ mainly in the mixture. Korean scallion pancakes are made with a batter-based pancake, giving them a more tender final texture when compared with the dough-based, flaky and crispy Chinese scallion pancakes.
If this savory twist on a sweet classic is a hit in your household, try making other savory takes on sweet dishes like basil cheesecake or rosemary cookies.
How to Serve it
Scallion pancakes can be enjoyed as they are hot from the pan, or plated up alongside a scallion pancake sauce for dipping. Something simple like a soy and honey sauce or soy and ginger sauce works really well alongside the savory flavors of scallion pancakes.
Storage
You can store cooked pancakes for around three to four days in the fridge. It’s best to transfer any leftover pancakes to an airtight container and place parchment paper between the pancakes to prevent them sticking together.
