Brunch is one of my favorite parts of the day on weekends. Weekdays are often busy enough that I usually grab something quick and bolt out the door for work. Weekends on the other hand, are the perfect time to make scallion pancakes.
This weekend, in particular, is especially important because it has been one year since Kevin and I got married. Although we officially got married in August of 2017, we did not have a wedding celebration with family and friends until July of 2018. Our wedding featured both Eastern and Western elements.
To celebrate, I made scallion pancakes with a soy vinegar dip. Later on, I made blueberry pancakes with lemon maple syrup.
Scallion Pancakes with Soy Vinegar Dip
For the pancakes:
· 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
· ½ teaspoon kosher salt
· ¾ cup hot water (about 160°F)
· 2 teaspoons sesame oil, divided
· 5 tablespoons vegetable oil
· 3 stalks scallions, very thinly sliced
For the dip:
· 3 tablespoons soy sauce
· ½ tablespoon rice wine vinegar
· ½ tablespoon Chinkiang vinegar
Directions:
1) In a large bowl, combine flour and kosher salt. Use a mixing spoon to stir the flour and kosher salt as you gradually add hot water. Stir the flour mixture and water until a dough forms. Knead the dough using one hand for about 3 minutes until you have a smooth dough. Place the dough back in the large bowl. Add a teaspoon of sesame oil to coat the dough. Let the dough rest for 30 minutes before you begin rolling out the pancakes.
2) Using a sharp knife, thinly slice the stalks of scallions on a cutting board. Divide the sliced scallions into seven portions. Set aside. In a small bowl, mix the remaining teaspoon of sesame oil with two tablespoons of vegetable oil. Once the dough is ready, divide the dough into six or seven pieces. Add flour to your working surface. Using a rolling pin, roll out each piece of dough into a flat round circle. Brush on a thin coat of oil mixture. Add a sprinkle of sliced scallions. Roll the flattened dough into a log. Twist the log into a circle. Use your rolling pin to flatten the circle into a pancake shape. Repeat the process for the remaining dough pieces.
3) Heat a large frying pan on medium heat. Add one tablespoon of oil. Fry two scallion pancakes at a time until golden brown, about 2 minutes on each side. Repeat with the remaining vegetable oil and pancakes. Let pancakes stand for about a minute before serving.
4) To make the dipping sauce, combine soy sauce, rice vinegar, and Chinkiang vinegar in a small bowl. Serve with pancakes.
Takeaways: It takes time to make the dough, let the dough rest, and roll out the dough for these pancakes. It takes additional time to fry the pancakes individually. I typically only make these pancakes on weekends. Since they freeze well, you can make a large batch and freeze some for use later in the week.