Scallions pancake (green onion pancake or Cong You Bing) is one of the famous and traditional Chinese street foods and the ideal Chinese breakfast. Those crispy and aroma pancakes are available all around China and it is the top star among Asian pancakes. Making your own scallion pancake at home is easy and enjoyable with this simplified recipe. My scallion pancake recipe is a simplified version so you can make it with the simpler steps, yet creating satisfying results.
Chinese Scallion Pancake is a popular Chinese street food, a breakfast pancake with a lovely crispy shell and soft inside. The are some other names for the pancake, the Chinese name is Cong You Bing (葱油饼), sometimes called green onion pancake. Scallion Pancakes are made with flour, oil, and chopped scallions or green onions.
It is widely loved because of the strong aroma of scallions or in mainland China, we use green onions. I know that many Chinese restaurants in the world provide this lovely pancake. However, making some at home is a nice experience. Only with simple and everyday ingredients, we can make our own extremely aromatic scallion pancakes. In China, there are, actually, several types of scallion pancakes.
In northern provinces, scallion pancake (this version) is thinner, chewy, and with less oil. Those pancakes are usually made in very large pieces around 30 cm in diameter and sold by weight after cutting into small pieces.
In Southern China, for example, Shanghai, scallion pancakes are thicker and fried with a larger amount of oil and creating an even more crispy shell and softer inner part.
For chive lovers, you can also use chive to replace scallion to make a lovely chive pancake.
I use limited steps to make the scallion pancake, it is the easiest way. I have tested several versions and find this one is the easiest method but still creates a lovely combination of the crispy, flaky shell and a soft inside. We don’t use any oil mixture (油酥) for this recipe.
Cong you bing (cōngyóubǐng) (Chinese: 蔥油餅; pinyin: cōngyóubǐng; Wade–Giles: Ts’ung1-yu2-ping3; lit. ‘scallion oil pancake’; Mandarin pronunciation [tsʰʊ́ŋjǒʊpìŋ]), also known as scallion pancake or “green onion pancake”, is a Chinese savory, unleavened flatbread folded with oil and minced scallions (green onions).
More thought about the oil
Traditionally scallion pancakes are made with animal fat like pork lard because animal fat usually has a strong aroma which can give the pancakes their unique flavor.
However, you can make them with other oils like neutral vegetable oil to make scallion pancakes much easier to prepare and vegan-friendly.
How to store scallion pancakes
Although I can finish my scallion pancakes every time, there are some tips for you if you really have leftovers.
It’s important to let the pancakes cool down completely before storing them. For best results, place the pancakes in an air-tight container or bag, it can be kept for 2 or 3 days. You can reheat the cooked scallion pancakes with a microwave or a pan on the stove. However, the reheated scallion pancake will be much chewier because of the decrease in water content. But it will be super crispy too.
Extra-Flaky Chinese Scallion Pancakes Recipe [葱油饼]
FAQ
What are scallion pancakes called in Chinese?
What is scallion pancake Chinese origin?
What is Chinese scallion?
Is Chinese pizza the same as scallion pancakes?
What is Chinese scallion pancake?
Chinese Scallion Pancake is a popular Chinese street food, a breakfast pancake with a lovely crispy shell and soft inside. The are some other names for the pancake, the Chinese name is Cong You Bing (葱油饼), sometimes called green onion pancake. Scallion Pancakes are made with flour, oil, and chopped scallions or green onions.
What is a scallion pancake?
Scallions pancake (green onion pancake or Cong You Bing) is one of the famous and traditional Chinese street foods and the ideal Chinese breakfast. Those crispy and aroma pancakes are available all around China and it is the top star among Asian pancakes. Making your own scallion pancake at home is easy and enjoyable with this simplified recipe.
Can you make Chinese scallion pancakes at home?
Chinese scallion pancakes are always such a hit at dim sum. You’ve likely seen them as an appetizer or side dish to go with all those stir-fry dishes that you love. But did you know you can make an even tastier version at home? The secret to scallion pancakes is the crispy, flaky exterior that gives way to a slightly chewy interior of thin layers.
Do Chinese scallion pancakes use lard?
Traditional Chinese scallion pancakes use lard, which makes it easy to work in the layers, and it adds a fragrant taste. I used to enjoy using chicken fat, because it creates an even more fragrant taste. Over the years, I’ve tried to make my diet healthier, so I’ve tried using plant-based oil instead of animal fat. I found out that many oils work.