Scallion Pancakes

Recipe adapted from the Plant Based Wok.

Ingredients:

Dough:

• 4 c. (575 grams) all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 c. (237 grams) boiling water
• 1/2 c. plus 2 TBSP (148 grams) room temperature water
• Additional flour for rolling/dusting

Paste:

• 2 c. thinly sliced scallions, green part only, about 12 medium scallions
• 1 1/4 c. (180 grams) all-purpose flour
• 1 c. vegetable oil
• 3 tsp. kosher salt

Directions:

1. Make the dough and let rest: Combine flour and salt in a mixing bowl. Create a well in the center of the flour and drizzle in hot water, mixing with a pair of chopsticks until large flakes form. Add cold water, a bit at a time, stirring to incorporate the dry flour on the sides of the bowl, until a ball of dough forms.  You may need to add more water depending on your flour, but you want the dough to be soft and still slightly sticky. Turn onto a floured surface and knead for 2-3 minutes until smooth. Brush the ball of dough with a thin layer of oil to prevent it from drying out, and cover and let rest for at least 30 minutes. You can refrigerate the dough at this point to let it rest overnight, or continue to shape and layer the pancakes.
2. Make the oil paste: In the meantime, chop scallions and add to a heat-resistant bowl along with the flour, and salt. In a small saucepan, heat oil over the stove until shimmering, then pour into the bowl. The oil will sizzle as it hits the spices and the scallions, releasing the aromatics. Stir to form a thin paste.
3. Shape and coil the dough: Remove rested dough from bowl and divide into 6 equal portions.  You’ll be working on one portion at a time; return the remaining portions to the bowl so they don’t dry out. On a clean, floured surface, roll out the first portion into a large rectangular sheet, as thin as possible without the dough breaking. Take a dollop of the oil & scallion paste and smear an even layer onto the surface of the dough using a pastry brush (or a spoon). Coil the dough: Fold the rectangle in half, then cut with a knife (don’t cut past edges). Open it up to reveal horizontal cuts, and roll the whole thing up to form a rope. Stretch out the rope and coil right to left (with the exposed surfaces facing you to ensure the filling stays inside and doesn’t leak out). Let rest, then roll out to ¼ inch thickness. Repeat for remaining five portions and let them rest for 10 minutes. For the discs you aren’t immediately cooking, wrap each disc in plastic wrap. You can refrigerate or freeze the discs to use at a later date.
4. Roll flat into pancakes: Flatten each coiled ball into a thin, 1/4-thick circle with the rolling pin.
5. Freezer Option: At this point, you may freeze the pancakes. I usually just cook one or two, and save the rest for the future. Stack the uncooked pancakes on top of each other with wax or parchment paper between, and place in a large freezer bag. Store in the freezer for up to a month.
6. Cook the Pancakes: Heat a nonstick pan over medium heat. Brush a layer of oil on the surface of a nonstick pan, then reduce heat to medium-low. Lay one pancake flat onto the hot surface, then cover with a lid and cook for 3 minutes, or until the bottom is golden brown. Uncover lid and flip the pancake, then cover again and cook for another 2 minutes. At this point, check both sides and cook for longer if necessary (this time without lid), flipping once or twice until the pancake is crispy and a deep golden brown. Before removing from pan, you can roughly shove the pancake with two spatulas to loosen the layers. Brush the pan with a new layer of oil and cook the next pancake. 
7. Cut scallion pancakes into segments or serve whole.

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Scallion Pancakes

Recipe by RC

Ingredients

• Dough:

• 4 c. (575 grams) all-purpose flour

• 1/2 tsp. salt

• 1 c. (237 grams) boiling water

• 1/2 c. plus 2 TBSP (148 grams) room temperature water

• Additional flour for rolling/dusting

• Paste:

• 2 c. thinly sliced scallions, green part only, about 12 medium scallions

• 1 1/4 c. (180 grams) all-purpose flour

• 1 c. vegetable oil

• 3 tsp. kosher salt

Directions

• Make the dough and let rest: Combine flour and salt in a mixing bowl. Create a well in the center of the flour and drizzle in hot water, mixing with a pair of chopsticks until large flakes form. Add cold water, a bit at a time, stirring to incorporate the dry flour on the sides of the bowl, until a ball of dough forms.  You may need to add more water depending on your flour, but you want the dough to be soft and still slightly sticky. Turn onto a floured surface and knead for 2-3 minutes until smooth. Brush the ball of dough with a thin layer of oil to prevent it from drying out, and cover and let rest for at least 30 minutes. You can refrigerate the dough at this point to let it rest overnight, or continue to shape and layer the pancakes.
• Make the oil paste: In the meantime, chop scallions and add to a heat-resistant bowl along with the flour, and salt. In a small saucepan, heat oil over the stove until shimmering, then pour into the bowl. The oil will sizzle as it hits the spices and the scallions, releasing the aromatics. Stir to form a thin paste.
• Shape and coil the dough: Remove rested dough from bowl and divide into 6 equal portions.  You’ll be working on one portion at a time; return the remaining portions to the bowl so they don’t dry out. On a clean, floured surface, roll out the first portion into a large rectangular sheet, as thin as possible without the dough breaking. Take a dollop of the oil & scallion paste and smear an even layer onto the surface of the dough using a pastry brush (or a spoon). Coil the dough: Fold the rectangle in half, then cut with a knife (don’t cut past edges). Open it up to reveal horizontal cuts, and roll the whole thing up to form a rope. Stretch out the rope and coil right to left (with the exposed surfaces facing you to ensure the filling stays inside and doesn’t leak out). Let rest, then roll out to ¼ inch thickness. Repeat for remaining five portions and let them rest for 10 minutes. For the discs you aren't immediately cooking, wrap each disc in plastic wrap. You can refrigerate or freeze the discs to use at a later date.
• Roll flat into pancakes: Flatten each coiled ball into a thin, 1/4-thick circle with the rolling pin.
• Freezer Option: At this point, you may freeze the pancakes. I usually just cook one or two, and save the rest for the future. Stack the uncooked pancakes on top of each other with wax or parchment paper between, and place in a large freezer bag. Store in the freezer for up to a month.
• Cook the Pancakes: Heat a nonstick pan over medium heat. Brush a layer of oil on the surface of a nonstick pan, then reduce heat to medium-low. Lay one pancake flat onto the hot surface, then cover with a lid and cook for 3 minutes, or until the bottom is golden brown. Uncover lid and flip the pancake, then cover again and cook for another 2 minutes. At this point, check both sides and cook for longer if necessary (this time without lid), flipping once or twice until the pancake is crispy and a deep golden brown. Before removing from pan, you can roughly shove the pancake with two spatulas to loosen the layers. Brush the pan with a new layer of oil and cook the next pancake. 
• Cut scallion pancakes into segments or serve whole.