3 cups unbleached flour
1 cup boiling water
1/2 cup chopped scallions (spring onions), green part only
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
3 teaspoons sesame oil (approximate) light oil (peanut, sunflower, etc.) for frying
Place the flour into a large mixing bowl. Pour in the boiling water while mixing with a pair of chopsticks or a wooden spoon, forming a soft dough. Knead the hot dough either in the same bowl or on a flat, lightly floured surface for about five minutes or until it is smooth. If you’ve removed it, return the dough to the bowl. Cover the dough with a damp towel or a piece of plastic wrap, then set aside and let rest at room temperature for at least one hour. Then take the dough out of the bowl and knead it for a few more minutes on a lightly floured surface. Roll and shape the dough into a long cylinder about 1-1/2 inches in diameter. Using a sharp knife, cut the dough crosswise into six pieces. Roll each piece of dough into a circle about 4 inches in diameter. Brush about one-half teaspoon sesame oil evenly on the top surface of each piece. Sprinkle evenly with one-fourth teaspoon salt and then one-half Tablespoon of chopped scallions. Making three equal folds, roll up the dough tightly, folding in both ends, and flattening the ends of the roll with the palm of your hand. Use a rolling pin to roll it out again into a pancake about one-fourth inch thick and 5 inches in diameter. (Some of the oil and/or scallions may squirt out during the folding and rolling. Just sop up the oil and put back the scallions. Heat a heavy skillet coated with one-half Tablespoon oil over a low flame. When hot, put in one pancake and toast it until light brown spots appear on the bottom side, then turn over and toast the other side. Drain well on paper towels. Cut each pancake into four sections with a sharp knife and serve hot.
Variations:
Deep-fry the pancakes (instead of pan-frying) in hot oil to cover for one minute for an extra-crispy exterior.
Cooked scallion pancakes can be stored in the refrigerator or freezer, then reheated in a 450 degrees F oven for about ten minutes.
Makes 6 servings.