Cōngyóubǐng (Scallion Pancakes)
By Andrea GearyPublished on January 27, 2022
Time
1¼ hours, plus 30 minutes resting
Yield
Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
Dipping Sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce 1 scallion, sliced thin1 tablespoon water 2 teaspoons rice vinegar 1 teaspoon honey 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil Pinch red pepper flakesPancakes
1 ½ cups (7½ ounces/213 grams) plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour ¾ cup boiling water 7 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided4 medium scallions, sliced thinBefore You Begin
For this recipe, we prefer the steady, even heat of a cast-iron skillet. A heavy stainless-steel skillet may be used, but you may have to increase the heat slightly.
Instructions
- Whisk all ingredients together in small bowl; set aside.
- Using wooden spoon, mix 1 1/2 cups flour and boiling water in bowl to form rough dough. When cool enough to handle, transfer dough to lightly floured counter and knead until tacky (but not sticky) ball forms, about 4 minutes (dough will not be perfectly smooth). Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest for 30 minutes.
- While dough is resting, stir together 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, sesame oil, and remaining 1 tablespoon flour. Set aside.
- Place 10-inch cast-iron skillet over low heat to preheat. Divide dough in half. Cover 1 half of dough with plastic wrap and set aside. Roll remaining dough into 12-inch round on lightly floured counter. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon oil-flour mixture and use pastry brush to spread evenly over entire surface. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and half of scallions. Roll dough into cylinder. Coil cylinder into spiral, tuck end underneath, and flatten spiral with your palm. Cover with plastic and repeat with remaining dough, oil-flour mixture, salt, and scallions.
- Roll first spiral into 9-inch round. Cut 1/2-inch slit in center of pancake. Cover with plastic. Roll and cut slit in second pancake. Place 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in skillet and increase heat to medium-low. Place 1 pancake in skillet (oil should sizzle). Cover and cook, shaking skillet occasionally, until pancake is slightly puffy and golden brown on underside, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. (If underside is not browned after 1 minute, turn heat up slightly. If it is browning too quickly, turn heat down slightly.) Drizzle 1 tablespoon vegetable oil over pancake. Use pastry brush to distribute over entire surface. Carefully flip pancake. Cover and cook, shaking skillet occasionally, until second side is golden brown, 1 to 1½ minutes. Uncover skillet and continue to cook until bottom is deep golden brown and crispy, 30 to 60 seconds longer. Flip and cook until deep golden brown and crispy, 30 to 60 seconds. Transfer to wire rack. Repeat with remaining 3 tablespoons vegetable oil and remaining pancake. Cut each pancake into 8 wedges and serve, passing dipping sauce separately.
- Stack uncooked pancakes between layers of parchment paper, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours or freeze for up to 1 month. If frozen, thaw pancakes in single layer for 15 minutes before cooking.
for the dipping sauce
for the pancakes
to make ahead
Time
1¼ hours, plus 30 minutes restingYield
Serves 4 to 6Ingredients
Dipping Sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 scallion, sliced thin
1 tablespoon water
2 teaspoons rice vinegar
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
Pinch red pepper flakes
Pancakes
1 ½ cups (7½ ounces/213 grams) plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
¾ cup boiling water
7 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
4 medium scallions, sliced thin
Ingredients
Dipping Sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 scallion, sliced thin
1 tablespoon water
2 teaspoons rice vinegar
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
Pinch red pepper flakes
Pancakes
1 ½ cups (7½ ounces/213 grams) plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
¾ cup boiling water
7 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
4 medium scallions, sliced thin
Ingredients
Dipping Sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 scallion, sliced thin
1 tablespoon water
2 teaspoons rice vinegar
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
Pinch red pepper flakes
Pancakes
1 ½ cups (7½ ounces/213 grams) plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
¾ cup boiling water
7 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
4 medium scallions, sliced thin
Why This Recipe Works
The best cōngyóubǐng (scallion pancakes) are crispy and browned on the outside and multilayered and delicately chewy inside. The dough must be rolled very thin, so we opt for a boiling-water dough that stretches easily but does not spring back. To form alternating layers of dough and fat, we roll the dough into a large, thin round; brush it with a mixture of oil and flour; and sprinkle it with salt and scallions before rolling it into a cylinder. We coil the cylinder into a spiral and then roll it out into a round again. Making a small slit in the center of the pancake before frying it in a skillet prevents steam from building up underneath the pancake, so it lies flat and cooks evenly.
Before You Begin
For this recipe, we prefer the steady, even heat of a cast-iron skillet. A heavy stainless-steel skillet may be used, but you may have to increase the heat slightly.
Instructions
- Whisk all ingredients together in small bowl; set aside.
- Using wooden spoon, mix 1 1/2 cups flour and boiling water in bowl to form rough dough. When cool enough to handle, transfer dough to lightly floured counter and knead until tacky (but not sticky) ball forms, about 4 minutes (dough will not be perfectly smooth). Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest for 30 minutes.
- While dough is resting, stir together 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, sesame oil, and remaining 1 tablespoon flour. Set aside.
- Place 10-inch cast-iron skillet over low heat to preheat. Divide dough in half. Cover 1 half of dough with plastic wrap and set aside. Roll remaining dough into 12-inch round on lightly floured counter. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon oil-flour mixture and use pastry brush to spread evenly over entire surface. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and half of scallions. Roll dough into cylinder. Coil cylinder into spiral, tuck end underneath, and flatten spiral with your palm. Cover with plastic and repeat with remaining dough, oil-flour mixture, salt, and scallions.
- Roll first spiral into 9-inch round. Cut 1/2-inch slit in center of pancake. Cover with plastic. Roll and cut slit in second pancake. Place 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in skillet and increase heat to medium-low. Place 1 pancake in skillet (oil should sizzle). Cover and cook, shaking skillet occasionally, until pancake is slightly puffy and golden brown on underside, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. (If underside is not browned after 1 minute, turn heat up slightly. If it is browning too quickly, turn heat down slightly.) Drizzle 1 tablespoon vegetable oil over pancake. Use pastry brush to distribute over entire surface. Carefully flip pancake. Cover and cook, shaking skillet occasionally, until second side is golden brown, 1 to 1½ minutes. Uncover skillet and continue to cook until bottom is deep golden brown and crispy, 30 to 60 seconds longer. Flip and cook until deep golden brown and crispy, 30 to 60 seconds. Transfer to wire rack. Repeat with remaining 3 tablespoons vegetable oil and remaining pancake. Cut each pancake into 8 wedges and serve, passing dipping sauce separately.
- Stack uncooked pancakes between layers of parchment paper, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours or freeze for up to 1 month. If frozen, thaw pancakes in single layer for 15 minutes before cooking.
for the dipping sauce
for the pancakes
to make ahead
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