Crispy, flaky layered flatbread packed with green onions — pan-fried in sesame oil until shatteringly crisp outside and chewy within.
Scallion Pancakes (蔥油餅, Cong You Bing) are one of the most beloved street foods of Taiwan and northern China — a simple, genius combination of hot-water dough, sesame oil and abundant chopped green onions, rolled and folded to create hundreds of flaky layers. The technique is the same as making croissants but with oil instead of butter and a fraction of the time: dough is spread with sesame oil and scallions, rolled into a cylinder, coiled into a disc, then pressed flat and pan-fried until golden and shatteringly crisp on the outside with a chewy, layered interior.
Serves 4
Mix flour and salt. Pour boiling water in gradually, stirring with chopsticks. Knead 5 minutes into a smooth dough. Rest covered 30 minutes.
Divide dough into 4 balls. Roll each into a thin rectangle. Brush with sesame oil, sprinkle with scallions and white pepper.
Roll the rectangle into a tight cylinder. Coil the cylinder into a disc like a snail shell. Press flat with palm to 1 cm thickness.
The coiling and pressing creates the flaky layers — the tighter you roll, the more layers.
Heat oil in a non-stick pan over medium. Cook each pancake 3–4 minutes per side until golden and crispy.
Transfer to a board. While hot, clap between your palms to separate the layers. Serve with dipping sauce.
Boiling water is essential — it pre-gelatinises the starch, making the dough extensible and chewy.
Clapping the hot pancake separates the layers into a fluffier, more layered texture.
Add sesame seeds to the filling for extra crunch.
Fill with egg: crack an egg over the pancake in the pan and fold over.
Add chilli flakes or Sichuan pepper to the filling for a spicy version.
Best eaten immediately. Cooled pancakes can be reheated in a dry pan for 2 minutes per side.
Scallion pancakes are believed to have originated in northern China, possibly brought to Taiwan by Shandong migrants. They are now ubiquitous at Taiwanese breakfast shops (dan bing stands), night markets and street stalls throughout the island.
Hot water partially cooks the flour starches, producing a softer, more pliable dough that is easier to stretch thin and produces a chewier texture after frying — essential for the characteristic bite of scallion pancake.
Yes — freeze coiled discs between parchment paper for up to 1 month. Cook directly from frozen, adding 2 extra minutes per side.
Per serving · 4 servings total
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