Monday, July 9, 2007

Scallion pancakes with ginger dipping sauce


When I was living in Shanghai and Taiwan, I loved to get a scallion pancake as a snack, even though they can be, as one friend put it, "the greasiest thing you'll ever eat." But they don't have to be. And a little grease never hurt anyone. The recipe that follows isn't some family tradition passed down to me ever since I was a child, helping my mom roll out the dough by hand. Her method is to take them out of the plastic package in the freezer and slap them in a wok. But I've found this recipe is really simple, makes an appetizer that pleases everybody, and only takes a little bit of time. Oh, and one must-have for your pantry is the Zhenjiang black vinegar--the flavor is a lot deeper and not as sharp as the white or red stuff. When I went to Zhenjiang (sometimes spelled Chinkiang), I was struck by the over-abundance of auto body and car parts shops there, strange for a town where so few own cars. In fact, it was here that I saw two guys (unsuccessfully) try to haul a car engine on the seat of a bicycle. Here's a picture of a more successful venture:


2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup boiling water

1/2 cup sliced scallions
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1/2 cup canola oil
Salt and white pepper to taste
1/2 cup ginger dipping sauce, recipe to follow

In a bowl, sift flour. Slowly add water in a steady stream while mixing with a wooden spoon. Keep adding water until a ball is formed. With the same procedure, one can use a food processor with a metal blade. Let ball of dough >relax for about 30 minutes and cover with damp cloth. (I often skip this step without any serious consequences)

On a floured surface, roll out dough into a thin rectangle. Brush on oil mixture, cover with scallion and season with salt and pepper. Carefully roll dough like a sponge cake. Cut into 4 pieces. Take one piece and twist 3 times. Make a spiral out of this and roll again and flatten to achieve a 5 to 6 inch pancake. In a medium-hot non-stick pan, coat with canola oil and pan sear both sides until golden brown. Cut into wedges and serve immediately with dipping sauce.

GINGER DIPPING SAUCE:

1/4 cup thin soy sauce
1/4 cup Chinese zhenjiang black vinegar
1/4 cup sliced scallions
1 teaspoon grated ginger
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon sugar

Combine all ingredients.

3 comments:

kimothy said...

black vinegar eh....good tip. The page is looking really good! I dig the Amasian pictures. hey, I just noticed that "Sian" is also in "Amasian". coincidence...? haha.

Moe said...

ooo.. YUMMY! I'm gonna have to try that one.

the blog is super cute! thanks for letting me know! it's already set as a favorite. :)

-emily (kim's sister)

Moe said...

oo.. YUMMY! I'm gonna have to try that one.

the blog looks awesome and thanks for sharing!

-emily (kim's sister)