Scallion Pancakes with Ginger Dipping Sauce

I have been having a lot of sweet stuff lately. I blame it on the holidays. Or the newborn. Or family birthdays. Really with all those reasons to eat dessert it astounds me that I can make time for more savory foods, but I somehow did 🙂

For those of you familiar with a ‘paratha’ this is the Asian version of it. The recipe is from Brown Eyed Baker and with the exception of the addition of half a finely diced green chili I made it as is. My husband described this as a fun snack and I agree. My pancake/paratha making skills are pretty pathetic so it took  me a while to figure out how to roll the dough out right, but the dipping sauce was a breeze and I am sure it would work well with a variety of things.

Scallion Pancakes with Ginger Dipping Sauce
Serves 4

For the Pancakes
2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
1 cup boiling water
1 tablespoon sesame oil
½ cup thinly sliced scallions
Salt & pepper to taste
4 teaspoons vegetable oil, divided

For the Ginger Dipping Sauce
¼ cup soy sauce
¼ cup rice vinegar
¼ cup sliced scallions
1 teaspoon grated ginger
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon sugar
½ a finely sliced green chilli (optional)

Place sifted flour in a medium-size bowl. Slowly add water in a steady stream while mixing with a wooden spoon. Keep adding water until a ball is formed. Cover the dough with a damp kitchen towel and let rest for 30 minutes.

While the dough is resting, whisk together the ingredients for the sauce.

On a floured surface, knead the dough a handful of times to bring it together. Roll the dough out into a thin rectangle about 18x13 inches. Brush the sesame oil all over the surface of the dough, scatter scallions evenly over the oil, and then season well with salt and pepper. I am not a fan of sesame oil, but you really do need it to get the right texture for the pancake. You can also substitute half the amount for a neutral tasting vegetable/canola/corn oil.

Carefully roll the dough up like a jelly roll, with the long side facing you. Cut the cylinder of dough into 4 equal pieces. Now comes (what was for me) the tricky part. Twist one piece three times, then turn it in to a very thin cylinder 10-12 inches and coil it into a bun. Now roll it out very thinly, using a little flour if needed.

On a non-stick griddle over medium-high heat, brush 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil. Place one of the pancakes on the pan and cook until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes per side. Repeat with remaining three pancakes.

Cut, serve, and dip away!