Scallion Pancakes

If you have never heard of Scallion Pancakes, please stop what you are doing right now and get to your nearest airport and hop on a plane to New York City!!!! Come on . . . hurry up! Upon arriving in New York, tell the cab driver you want to go to the "Excellent Dumpling House" in China Town.
It's located at 111 Lafayette Street and the quicker you get there, the happier you'll be, I PROMISE! The dumplings are "excellent" thus the name . . . and the Scallion Pancakes are out of this world. On a recent trip, I took my hubby there for the first time and he too is in love with the place. I haven't attempted to make Scallion Pancakes just yet, but I found the picture today and knew I just HAD to blog about it! Here's a recipe I found courtesy of the Food Network, if you're so inclined to make them, come back and tell me how they turned out :)


Scallion Pancakes with Ginger Dipping Sauce
Recipe Courtesy of Ming Tsai

2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup boiling water
1/2 cup sliced scallions
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1/2 cup canola oil
Salt and black pepper to taste
1/2 cup ginger dipping sauce, recipe to follow

In a bowl, sift flour. Slowly add water in a steady stream while mixing with a wooden spoon. Keep adding water until a ball is formed. With the same procedure, one can use a food processor with a metal blade. Let ball of dough >relax for about 30 minutes and cover with damp cloth.
On a floured surface, roll out dough into a thin rectangle. Brush on oil mixture, cover with scallion and season with salt and pepper. Carefully roll dough like a sponge cake. Cut into 4 pieces. Take one piece and twist 3 times. Make a spiral out of this and roll again and flatten to achieve a 5 to 6 inch pancake. In a hot non-stick pan, coat with canola oil and pan sear both sides until golden brown. Cut into wedges and serve immediately with dipping sauce.

GINGER DIPPING SAUCE:
1/4 cup thin soy sauce
1/4 cup Chinese chinkiang vinegar
1/4 cup sliced scallions
1 teaspoon minced ginger
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon sugar

Combine all ingredients.