Cong You Bing Scallion Pancakes

Cong You Bing, often known as scallion pancakes, is a traditional Chinese food. My younger sister and I used to grab a scallion pancake from the freezer when we got home from school to satisfy our hunger. They sell them in restaurants, the frozen food area of Chinese supermarkets, and through street vendors.

Although all those establishments are enjoyable, why not just prepare them yourself at home? This is a breeze to do. Flour and water are all you need for the cong you bing dough; then all you need are scallions, salt, some time, and a hot pan to make some delicious Scallion pancakes.

We really can’t provide you an excuse, so…

I mean, come on.

There are many possible dipping sauces to accompany Chinese pancakes, but my go-to is a combination of garlic, soy sauce, and a touch of vinegar.

Ingredients:

For the Pancakes:

• 2 thinly sliced scallions
• 1 ½ cups of all-purpose flour
• ½ cup of hot water
• 1 tablespoon of toasted sesame seeds
• Salt
• Vegetable oil

For the Sauce:

• 1 clove of finely minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon of chopped scallion
• 1 tablespoon of soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon of water
• 1 teaspoon of Chinese black vinegar
• 1/8 teaspoon of sugar

Instructions:

1. Combine the flour and boiling water in a bowl and whisk until a dough forms.
2. The dough needs to be worked on a floured surface for five minutes until it is smooth. Cover with plastic or a clean cloth and let sit for 30 minutes in the bowl. Make the sauce and chop the scallions for dipping while the dough rises.
3. After 30 minutes, divide the dough in half so that you have three equal portions. Put each piece between two sheets of wax paper and roll until you have a circle that is seven inches in diameter. Pick up the dough between rolls and rotate it counterclockwise by a quarter of a turn. By doing so, you may prevent the dough from sticking to the surface and guarantee that your circles are uniform in size and shape.
4. Oil each circle, then season with salt and scallion and serve. Form a cigar out of the dough. The next step is to spiral that up like a snail. Then, flatten it into a pancake that’s about six inches in diameter.
5. Press the sesame seeds gently into the dough once they have been sprinkled on top. For the other two pieces of dough, repeat the steps above.
6. Prepare a skillet (either nonstick or cast iron) by heating a tablespoon or so of oil over medium heat. To get a golden brown color on both sides, cook the pancakes for about 3 minutes per side. To serve with dipping sauce, slice into wedges.