cooking with mom #2: taiwanese green scallion pancakes

For the second installment of the cooking with mom series, my mom is showing me how she makes her green scallion pancakes.  This is a simpler (and healthier) version to make at home.  Traditionally these are done with LOTS of oil and in lots of layers, but for obvious reasons, we don't do that at home.  But no worries - they are still delicious!

The ingredients for about 5 to 6 large pancakes:


5 cups flour
1 to 1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp dry yeast
2 cups warm water
1 to 2 cups finely sliced green onions (you can use more or less based on preference)
4 Tbsp vegetable oil
1/2 Tbsp salt (for green onions)
black pepper (based on preference)



To make the dough, combine the flour, salt and sugar.  In 2 cups of warm water, put the dry yeast.  Within minutes, it should be slightly foaming or bubbly on the top.  (If not, the water temperature could be too hot or cold, or the yeast could be a dud.)

Once the yeast is ready, pour the mixture into the dry ingredients and knead the dough until it's "not sticky".  (My mom kneaded it for about 5 minutes, while occasionally adding more flour to the kneading surface.)  Then let the dough rise for about 15 minutes.









In the meantime, finely slice the green onions.  Add the vegetable oil and salt and pepper to taste.

When the dough is ready, stretch it out into a log shape and split it into equal parts (usually into about 5 to 6 pieces).  Roll each into flat round pieces (like mini pizzas).

For each piece, put 3 to 4 Tbsps of the green onion mixture (this is based on personal preference) and evenly spread it out.  Then roll each piece carefully into a log (rolling forward and stretching outwards at the same time). Then roll the log like you would a cinnamon bun.  Tuck the tail underneath the bun.  Gently flatten the "bun" and let out some of the air, and let it rest for a few

minutes.

When you are ready to fry them up, heat up some oil in a pan (the more oil is better, but less healthy).   Roll out each bun gently back into a mini pizza shape.  Slide it into the hot oil and fry a few minutes on each side.  Poke it with a fork a few times so the dough doesn't bubble up.

We usually cut it up in mini triangles for serving.

We usually have extras left so we simply wrap up the prepared dough (unfried) and freeze them.  When you want to enjoy them, you simply take them out of the freezer and pan-fry them.  easy-peasy!  Enjoy!