Scallion Pancakes

Scallions are a unique vegetable, that can be added to almost any recipe to enhance its flavor. Also, it is an important ingredient in Chinese food. You may have already got the taste of scallion pancakes while dining at a Chinese restaurant. With their unique flavor, and light, flaky texture, they make the perfect appetizers. You can also enjoy it as a meal by itself. Whether you prepare them for yourself, or for your guests, these recipes mentioned below are a great choice.

Scallion Pancakes with Ginger Dipping Sauce

Ingredients

• 2 cups, all-Purpose flour
• 1 cup, boiling water
• ½ cup, scallions (sliced)
• ½ cup, canola oil
• 1 tablespoon, sesame oil
• Salt and Pepper, to taste
• ½ cup, ginger dipping sauce (recipe given below)

For the Sauce

• ¼ cup, soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon, ginger (minced)
• ¼ cup, Chinese vinegar
• 1 teaspoon, red pepper flakes
• ¼ cup, scallions (sliced)
• 1 teaspoon sugar

Procedure

• Sift the all-purpose flour in a large bowl.
• Slowly, add in the boiling water, while stirring the flour continuously with a wooden spoon. Continue adding the water and kneading it till the dough forms a ball.
• Keep kneading it till the dough attains a smooth texture. Now, cover the dough with a damp cloth, and let it rest for about 30 minutes.

• Sprinkle some flour on a clean surface, pull out some dough, and roll it out using a rolling pin to make a small circle as large as about 6-7 inches. It should be very thin, so that you can create more layers in the pancake.

• Dip a cooking brush in the sesame oil, and brush the rolled out dough with the oil. Sprinkle some sliced scallions on it, along with a pinch of salt and pepper.
• Now, roll up the flattened dough with the scallions, salt, and pepper. Once you have rolled it, turn it into a coil lengthwise.
• Dip it in a little flour, and roll it out again.

• Repeat the same procedure for the remaining dough.
• Once you have prepared all the pancakes, heat 1 tablespoon of the canola oil in a skillet. Fry the pancakes, one by one, till they are golden brown on either side.
• For the dipping sauce, just blend together all the sauce ingredients.
• Serve the pancakes hot with the ginger dipping sauce.

Shrimp and Scallion Pancakes with Spicy Dipping Sauce

Ingredients

• 2 garlic cloves (minced)
• 1 tablespoon, sesame oil
• 2 eggs (beaten)
• ¾ cup, water
• ¾ teaspoon, salt
• ¾ cup, all-purpose flour
• 1 bunch scallions (thinly sliced)
• ½ red bell pepper (stemmed, seeded, and thinly sliced)
• ½ pound, precooked shrimp (peeled and halved lengthwise)
• ¼ cup, canola oil

For the Sauce

• 1 teaspoon, garlic (finely chopped)
• 1 tablespoon, scallions (thinly sliced)
• 1 tablespoon, sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon, red pepper flakes
• ¼ cup, soy sauce
• ¼ cup, rice wine vinegar

Procedure

• In a large bowl, combine the eggs, water, oil, salt, and garlic.
• Now, toss in the flour, and mix everything till a smooth batter has been formed.
• Add the shrimp, the scallions, and the bell peppers to the batter.
• In a large non-stick skillet, pour in one tablespoon of canola oil.

• Once the oil has heated, pour some batter on the pan, to make a 6-inch round pancake. Use a spatula to spread the batter around.
• Cook this pancake on both the sides, till it has browned.
• Remove the pancake from the skillet, and place it on a paper towel to drain the excess oil.
• Repeat this procedure for the remaining batter.

• For the sauce, simply mix all the ingredients.
• Serve the pancakes hot, with the spicy dipping sauce.

Scallion pancakes can be enhanced further by adding a variety of ingredients of your choice. Right from carrots to mushrooms, to kimchi, you can add whatever you think will make it more interesting and delicious.