Crunchy comeback: Chinese scallion pancakes steal the show
Chinese scallion pancakes offer a bold taste and a delightful crunch. This savory snack is available everywhere in China at stalls selling pancakes and buns. They are not only tasty but also very easy to prepare at home. They taste great with hummus or as an addition to bowls with hot curry.
Even children's literature can inspire you to prepare something delicious. I found the recipe for Chinese scallion pancakes while reading "Man Zou" with my son. The dish's description sparked his interest, so he decided to prepare the snack himself. I’m considering replicating his achievement at our next house party because, in my opinion, the Chinese pancakes turned out better than the chips.
Chinese pancakes vs. Indian paratha bread
Both of these snacks are very similar. Both pancakes are prepared with wheat flour scalded with boiling water. The dough is folded multiple times and fried in a pan with hot oil, resulting in their characteristic layered structure.
The main difference is how they are served. In Indian cuisine, paratha bread, similar to naan bread, usually accompanies hot dishes. In China, Cong you bing are standalone snacks. To enhance the taste of this Asian dish, serve them with a sauce made from sesame oil, sugar, scallions, and chili.
Recipe for Chinese pancakes, or cong youbing
With the ingredients listed below, you can make five pancakes the size of a medium dinner plate. Each pancake can be divided into triangles.
Ingredients:
- 1.5 cups of wheat flour,
- 0.5 cups of hot water,
- 1 bunch of scallions,
- salt,
- oil for frying.
Instructions:
- Mix the flour with hot water, then knead it into a ball. Cover with a cloth and set aside for 20 minutes.
- Transfer the dough onto a floured board and roll it into a log. Divide into five parts.
- Form each part into a ball, then roll it into a pancake. Brush the pancakes with oil and sprinkle with salt and finely chopped scallions (including the green part).
- Roll the pancakes into cylinders, then twist them into spirals like a snail shell. Roll out the pancakes again.
- Fry in a pan with hot oil until golden brown – first on one side, then on the other.
