Chinese scallion pancakes -

– Click here for this recipe in Dutch -> Chung Yau Ban – Lenteui koeken –

I really really really could eat these everyday, that’s how much I like them.
And I know what I’m talking about because this is what I often ate for breakfast in China. In 2010 I went with my Chinese aunt to her family in China, to a little village at an 8 hour drive south of Shanghai. These Chinese scallion pancakes were our breakfast, as well as some delicious steamed buns.

I really wish I could tell you I learned how to make these pancakes in the village where my aunt grew up, but unfortunately I can’t 🙁 The scallion pancakes we ate for breakfast were bought from one of the villagers who had a little foodstand at her -what looked like a- garage.

So back home in Amsterdam I always ordered these ‘Chung yau ban’ at my favorite dimsum restaurant. And even now I order scallion pancakes at Chinese restaurants when it’s on the menu. I can’t get enough of it!
But even better, in the meantime I learned how to make them at home. It’s so fun to do and also quite easy! But since it will probably your first time I made a step-by-step photo instruction (scroll down for that one) 🙂

So what’s making these Chinese scallion pancakes so perfect?

First of all, the crispy outside.

Second, the flaky layers.

But best of all, it’s the combination of the crispness and flakiness with the onion flavor and hint of salt.

Oh my, I’m almost salivating behind my laptop now… What about you?
Good thing that I ate them yesterday at a newly discovered Chinese restaurant here on Sawtelle Blvd, otherwise I couldn’t finish this blogpost because I would be standing in the kitchen cutting the scallions and kneading the dough by now.

And that wouldn’t be perfect at all because I’m cooking a Mexican dish tonight!
But these scallion pancakes are never too far away, I make them often and so could you!

Here is my recipe for these mouthwatering crispy Chinese scallion pancakes:

Chinese scallion pancake

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Yield: 4 pancakes

Serving Size: serves 4

Chinese scallion pancake

Crispy Chinese scallion pancakes that are seriously delicious! Perfect to serve with soup or salad.

Ingredients

150 grams of flour + extra for rolling
½ cup warm water
4 spring onions
4 Tbsp canola oil (divided)
½ cup salted dried shrimp (optional)
salt to taste

Instructions

Slice the spring onions very thin and chop them up. You need them really fine because of the rolling.
Sift the flour in a bowl and add the warm water. Knead with a fork and then with your hands until a soft and flexible dough forms. It’s still a bit sticky, like the sticky site of a post-it.
Divide the dough in 4 balls.
Sprinkle some flour on the counter and your rolling pin and roll the dough out until very thin. Keep adding flour to prevent sticking.
Brush the dough with canola oil, sprinkle ¼ of the spring onions on top and add salt or the dried shrimp to taste. Don’t use it both, the dried shrimp are already salty enough. These are the shrimps I use btw:

Now the fun part starts: roll both ends of the dough towards each other.
Close the outside parts by pressing the dough. Roll the string up like a snail.
Roll it over so it lays flat, use some flour to gently roll it out until a flat pancake.
Do the same with the other dough balls.
Heat some canola oil in a non-stick skillet over medium high heat. Fry the pancakes one by one on both sides until crispy and golden brown.