Chun Yao Bang Fried Scallion Pancake Recipes

SCALLION PANCAKES WITH SQUID

Steps:

• In a small bowl, prepare the dipping sauce. Whisk together 2 tablespoons of the soy sauce, 2 teaspoons of the rice wine vinegar and mirin. Set aside.
• In another small bowl, combine the remaining 2 tablespoons soy sauce, the remaining 4 teaspoons rice wine vinegar, denjang or miso paste, garlic, ginger, egg yolk, 1 cup of water and mix well.
• Heat a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat with 1/4-inch grapeseed or vegetable oil. The oil should be hot, but not smoking, about 325 degrees.
• In a large bowl, mix the rice flour, all-purpose flour and baking powder. Add the squid and scallions and toss to combine. Pour in the denjang mixture and stir until just combined, taking care not to overmix.
• Carefully spoon half of the batter into the hot pan and fry until the bottom is golden and crispy, about 3 to 4 minutes. Flip and fry for another 3 to 4 minutes until crispy and cooked through. Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet lined with paper towels so oil can drain. Repeat with the second half of the batter. Cut pancakes in quarters and serve with the dipping sauce.

CHUNG YUL BANG (SCALLION PANCAKES)

Steps:

• In a medium heatproof bowl, stir together the flour and sugar. Pour in the boiling water, quickly mixing everything together with a wooden spoon until the flour absorbs all the water. It will look a bit dry and flaky. Stir in the cold water. A dough should form and begin to pull away from the side of the bowl. If needed, add more cold water a teaspoon at a time. The dough should not be sticky, but dry to the touch.
• Dust a work surface with flour. Remove the dough from the bowl and knead until the dough is smooth and elastic, adding more flour if necessary, 3 to 5 minutes. Lightly cover the dough with a clean damp cloth or plastic bag and let it rest for 1 hour.
• Redust the work surface with flour and knead the rested dough for a few minutes, or until it is smooth. Divide the dough into four equal pieces and roll into balls. Cover three of them with the damp cloth or plastic, then use a floured rolling pin to roll the fourth into a 7-inch round. Cover the round with the damp cloth or plastic, then roll out the remaining three pieces, keeping any unused dough well covered while you work.
• Brush each round very lightly with the sesame oil and sprinkle each with 1/4 teaspoon salt and a quarter of the minced scallions. Tightly roll each circle into a fat rope, then tightly coil each rope so that it looks like a snail's shell, pinching the end of the rope into the bun so that it seals. Cover the rounds with the damp cloth or plastic wrap, and let them rest for 15 to 20 minutes.
• Redust your work surface with flour and roll each cake out with a floured rolling pin into a 7-inch round. Set aside to fry when the oil is ready. Or, refrigerate in an airtight container dusted with flour for up to 1 day. Let the chilled dough sit at room temperature for a few minutes before frying. You can also stack the rolled dough between parchment paper, wrap tightly in plastic, seal in a resealable plastic freezer bag and freeze for a few weeks. Unwrap and let them come to room temperature, about 15 minutes, before you fry them.
• Line a plate or baking sheet with paper towels. Heat the oil in a 14-inch flat-bottomed wok over medium until it is hot but not smoking. Working carefully, as the oil will spatter, add a scallion cake to the bottom of the pan using a metal spatula or tongs, and let it fry until golden brown on the bottom, just a minute or two. Carefully flip the cake over and fry until the other side is golden brown, 30 seconds to 1 minute more. As it fries, adjust the heat to maintain a steady sizzle and lightly press the center of the cake with a metal spatula to make sure the center is cooked through, being careful of oil spatters. Alternatively, heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high and pan-fry a round of dough until golden brown and cooked through, about 4 minutes. When the cake is done, transfer it to the paper towels and fry the three remaining cakes, adding 1 tablespoon oil per cake if pan-frying.
• Sprinkle the scallion cakes with a little more salt, cut them into 6 to 8 wedges, and serve them immediately.

CHUN YAO BANG (FRIED SCALLION PANCAKE)

Steps:

• Mix together the flour and water until a dough is formed. On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough for a few minutes. Place in a bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and set aside for 30 minutes. Divide dough into 4 pieces.
• Roll out the dough to a 1/8 inch thickness. Spread a thin layer of Crisco on the top, sprinkle with salt, and then press a layer of green onions into the dough.
• Roll the pancake like a rug, roll it up like a snail, then roll onto a floured surface to a 1/8 inch thickness, pushing any green onions that escape back into the dough.
• Fry in 1 tbsp of vegetable oil in a skillet. Cook for approximately 3 minutes on one side then flip and cook for 2 more minutes before placing the pancake onto a paper towel-lined plate.
• Repeat with remaining quarter dough pieces.

CHINESE SCALLION PANCAKES

Steps:

• Mix flour and 1 teaspoon salt together in a large bowl; pour in boiling water and quickly mix together until water is absorbed. Work cold water, about 1 tablespoon at a time, into flour mixture just until dough forms. Knead dough for 10 minutes. Cover bowl with a damp cloth and let dough rest for 40 minutes.
• Turn dough onto a lightly floured work surface; divide into 4 equal pieces.
• Roll 1 piece of dough into a large thin round; brush the top with vegetable oil and sprinkle with about 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 the green onions. Pick up 1 end of the round and roll dough around green onions into a long scroll-shape. Take 1 scroll end and roll dough into a disk. Repeat with remaining dough, letting each disk rest for 10 minutes.
• Heat about 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-low heat. Place 1 disk on a floured surface and roll into a 1/2-inch thick round; cook in the hot oil until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Repeat with remaining disks.

TRADITIONAL CHINESE SCALLION PANCAKES

Steps:

• Combine warm water, sugar, and yeast in a bowl. Add 1 cup flour; stir dough with a spatula.
• Mix the remaining 1 cup flour, hot water, 2 tablespoons oil, and salt together in a separate bowl until dough-like in texture. Add the dough from step 1; knead together into a round ball, dusting with flour as needed. Place dough ball on a lightly floured work surface; cover with a warm, damp towel for 30 to 40 minutes.
• Pinch dough ball into 2 pieces. Roll each out and sprinkle half the scallions on top. Roll up each piece into a tube; pinch each in half. Roll and flatten into large pancakes, dusting with flour, if needed.
• Heat the remaining oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook pancakes until browned, 3 to 4 minutes per side.