[Kitchen Notes] Recreating Street Food at Home: Crispy Flaky Scallion Pancake

Hello everyone, I’m Xiaomi Zhou who loves eating but enjoys cooking even more. I believe many of you can’t resist the temptation of street-style scallion pancakes, right? Those layer upon layer of crispiness, mixed with the aromatic scent of roasted green onions, just thinking about it makes your mouth water.

Today, I’m going to teach you how to make this delicious treat at home. Actually, it’s not difficult - the key lies in a few simple techniques. When you make it yourself, you can be generous with ingredients, ensure better hygiene, and eat with peace of mind! Without further ado, let’s get started!

First, let’s tease you with a finished product photo!

Look at these layers, aren’t you already tempted?

Ingredients (Makes 3-4 pancakes)

These ingredients are available in every household, very simple:

For the Dough:

• All-purpose flour: 300g
• Warm water (about 50-60°C): 180ml
• Salt: 3g

For the Oil Paste (The key to layering!):

• Flour: 30g
• Hot oil: 35ml
• Five-spice powder: 1 teaspoon
• Sichuan pepper powder: a pinch (optional)
• Salt: to taste

Others:

• Green onions: a large bunch, chopped
• Cooking oil: appropriate amount (for frying)

All Ingredients Assembled:

Simple ingredients, extraordinary taste

Detailed Preparation Steps

Step 1: Making and Resting the Dough (Foundation for Soft Wrappers)

1. Mix 300g of flour and 3g of salt evenly, then slowly pour in 180ml of warm water while stirring with chopsticks to form a shaggy dough.
2. Knead by hand to form a rough dough, cover with plastic wrap, and let rest for 15 minutes.
3. After 15 minutes, return to kneading - you’ll find it easy to form a smooth, soft dough. Cover with plastic wrap again and rest for at least 40 minutes. The longer the resting time, the better the dough’s elasticity.

A smooth, soft dough is half the success

Step 2: Making the Crucial Oil Paste

1. Place 30g of flour, five-spice powder, and appropriate amount of salt in a small bowl.
2. Heat 35ml of cooking oil until slightly smoking, then pour directly over the flour and quickly mix well.
3. Now our key secret weapon - the oil paste - is ready. This will be crucial for creating the flaky layers in the pancake.

The aromatic oil paste

Step 3: Shaping and Layering (Core Steps)

1. Divide the rested dough into 3-4 equal portions. Take one portion and roll it out into a thin sheet on a floured surface - the thinner, the more layers.
2. Evenly spread a layer of oil paste over the dough sheet, then sprinkle generously with chopped green onions.
3. Starting from one end, fold the dough sheet like folding a fan to create long pleats.
4. Take one end of the long strip and roll it toward the other end, tucking the end underneath the dough ball.
5. Gently flatten it. After processing all dough portions this way, let them rest for another 10 minutes.

The folding process creates the layers

Step 4: Rolling Out and Pan-frying

1. Roll the rested dough balls into round, thin pancakes.
2. Brush oil in a flat pan, heat over medium-low heat, and place the pancake in.
3. When one side turns lightly golden, flip it over. Use the spatula to continuously push from the edges toward the center - this is another trick to create distinct layers.
4. Cook until both sides are golden brown and crispy, then remove from pan.

The sizzling sound and scallion aroma are so therapeutic

Tips (Secrets to Success)

• Water temperature matters: Warm water makes the pancake softer, and it won’t harden even when cooled.
• Don’t skip the oil paste: This is essential for creating layers - the oil paste prevents the dough layers from sticking together.
• Use medium-low heat: High heat can burn the outside while leaving the inside raw. Medium-low heat cooks it through while keeping the exterior crispy.
• Don’t forget to push and squeeze: Pushing the pancake while frying helps create more distinct, three-dimensional layers.

Time to Enjoy!

Freshly made scallion pancake, with thousands of layers stacked together, each layer thin as paper. You can pull it apart with your hands, revealing countless connected dough strands. Enjoy it plain, or add eggs, ham, and lettuce - it beats any street stall version!

Perfect meal when paired with a cup of soy milk

I hope everyone can successfully make their own perfect scallion pancake! If you try it, remember to share your results in the comments section!