Authentic Beijing Scallion Pancakes

Dough

• 200 g all-purpose flour
• 120 ml boiling water
• 0.5 tsp salt

Filling

• 4 scallions (green parts only), very finely sliced, almost hair-thin
• 2 tbsp lard, traditional — substitute: neutral oil + ½ tsp sesame oil
• 0.5 tsp salt

For frying

• to taste neutral oil or lard, 1–2 tbsp per pancake

Hot-water dough (关键步骤)

1. 1

   Place 300 g flour and ½ tsp 0.5 tsp salt in a large bowl. Add 180 ml 120 ml boiling water gradually, stirring with chopsticks until a shaggy dough forms.

   2m

   Use boiling water — this partially cooks the starch, making the dough pliable and easy to roll ultra-thin.

2. 2

   When cool enough to handle, knead lightly until smooth — 3 to 4 minutes. Do not overwork.

   4m
3. 3

   Cover with a damp cloth or cling film and rest for 30 minutes. This relaxes the gluten and allows ultra-thin rolling.

   30m

Scallion prep

1. 4

   Slice the green parts of the scallions very fine — almost hair-thin. Mix with 1 tsp salt just before use.

   5m

   Tip: Salting the scallions draws out moisture and intensifies flavour. Do this right before assembling, not earlier.

Lamination (authentic layering)

1. 5

   Divide the rested dough into 6 equal balls. Roll one ball into a very thin rectangle — almost translucent.

   3m
2. 6

   Spread ½ tbsp 2 tbsp lard evenly over the dough surface. Sprinkle scallions evenly across.

   1m
3. 7

   Roll tightly into a long cigar shape, stretching slightly as you go. Coil into a tight spiral and tuck the end underneath. Rest each coil 5 minutes before flattening.

   7m

   The tight spiral creates the characteristic flaky layers. Do not rush — loose rolling produces flat, dense pancakes.

4. 8

   Repeat with the remaining dough balls. Work in batches — roll and fill while previous coils rest.

   15m

Final rolling

1. 9

   Gently flatten each rested spiral with your palm. Roll into a 15 cm (6-inch) pancake. Do not press hard — preserve the layers.

   5m

   Light pressure is essential. Heavy rolling destroys the laminated layers you just created.

Pan-fry

1. 10

   Heat 1–2 tbsp fat in a flat pan over medium heat. Fry each pancake 2–3 minutes per side, rotating occasionally. Press gently with a spatula for even browning.

   25mmedium

   Pan-fry only — never deep-fry or bake. The exterior should be golden and crisp, the interior flaky and layered.

Serve

1. 11

   Cut into wedges. Serve plain or with light soy sauce, Chinkiang black vinegar, or chili oil on the side. No dipping sauce is required traditionally — the pancake stands on its own.

   2m