Crispy Taiwanese Street-Style Scallion Pancakes.

  • April 18th, 2020
  • By Katy Jao
Ingredients:
  • 2 cups of all-purpose flour
  • 2/3 cup of boiling water
  • 6-7 stalks scallions
  • Olive oil (any neutral flavored oil)
  • Black pepper
  • White pepper
  • Salt
Details:
  • Prep time: 45 minutes
  • Cook time: 5 minutes
  • Makes: 8 scallion pancakes
Instructions:

Refer to process photos below.

  1. In a heatproof bowl, mix the flour and boiling water with chopsticks or a fork until the water is combined. When the mixture is at a safe temperature to work with, knead the dough together on a floured surface for 4-5 minutes until it becomes a soft and smooth dough. Cover the dough and rest for 30 minutes.
  2. Slice the scallions and set aside for later.
  3. Once 30 minutes has passed, knead the dough again and shape it into a log. Cut the dough into 8 equal pieces and shape them into balls. Flour and cover the dough balls to prevent the dough from drying out.
  4. With the dough balls, roll each piece out until it is thin enough to see your fingers through it. Brush oil all over the surface of the dough. Sprinkle salt, black pepper, and white pepper to taste all over the dough. Finally, sprinkle a handful of scallions and spread them out evenly.
  5. Roll up the dough from one side until it forms a log, like a jelly roll cake or a cinnamon roll. Starting from one end, roll up the log to create the shape of a snail or a coil. Use your hand to smash down the coil. Roll it flat to your desired thickness.
  6. Heat up oil in a frying pan over medium high heat. Place each pancake dough in the pan one at a time. Cover the pan with a lid and cook for 2-3 minutes until the dough is golden brown on the bottom. Flip and cook the other side uncovered for another 2-3 minutes until golden brown on both sides.
  7. Serve on its own as a snack, as a traditional breakfast with an egg, or alongside other dishes like our pork congee.

These crispy and flaky scallion pancakes bring me back to Taiwan with just one bite.

why i love this recipe

Growing up, I used to visit Taiwan every summer and this recipe brings me back to gorging through night markets and snacking on traditional Taiwanese eats. Before I started making my own, the only scallion pancakes I could find were in the frozen aisle of my local Chinese supermarket. They weren’t very flavorful and they never had enough scallions. Once I realized I could make my own, I never went back.

I also love this recipe because it’s really fun to make and personalize. Each pancake can be changed to be saltier, spicier, chewier, or crispier, depending on who is eating it. Other herbs could be added as well, instead of just scallions. The possibilities are endless!

Tips and Suggestions
  • I’ve experimented with using cold versus boiling water in the dough and in general, boiling water creates a thinner dough and as a result, a more crispy scallion pancake. Cold water creates a chewier dough that is more elastic and harder to roll out.
  • This scallion pancake recipe is really forgiving. Mistakes when rolling the dough out can be hidden and it doesn’t matter what the shape is or if the dough rips and the scallions burst out. In my opinion, that makes them taste even better!
  • The thinner you roll out your dough and your coiled pancake, the crispier it will be. If you leave it thicker, it will be more chewy. I like mine super crispy!
  • I’ve also played around with shallow frying the pancakes in about half an inch of oil. This was also amazing and reminded me of Taiwan’s night market snacks. The pancake becomes golden brown, and the dough puffs up more in the hot oil. Even though it was also delicious, I still prefer pan frying the pancakes since it uses less oil.
Notes:
  • The uncooked pancakes can be frozen to be eaten at a later time. Once the dough has been rolled out, separate them with some parchment paper and store them in a zippy bag in the freezer. They can be frozen for up to 1 month.
  • Cooking the frozen pancakes doesn't require defrosting. Just place the frozen pancakes directly on the hot pan and cook each side until golden brown.
Let's wrap this up

I hope you enjoy this recipe and find out why I love Taiwan's food so much when you bite into these crispy scallion pancakes. Do you like your pancakes spicier? Saltier? Chewier? Let me know how you’re personalizing your scallion pancakes when you make them.