Scallion Pancakes Recipe

May 11th 2017

Spring comes late to North Idaho, especially this year.  Our farmer’s market just opened and there was little to be had there besides plant starts and spinach.  Then I spied bunches of scallion and I remembered I had a recipe from my days at the Moscow Food Co-op for Yow Bing (aka Scallion Pancakes).  I’ve probably had the recipe for close to 20 years and never made it but for some reason those scallions just called out to be made into pancakes. An hour later and with a very messy countertop, I sunk my teeth into one of these golden delicacies.  They were just as good as I remembered.

Yow Bing
makes 8 pancakes

2-3 cups organic flour, mostly unbleached but you can add some whole wheat
3/4 hot, but not boiling, water
4 tsp. organic neutral cooking, I used safflower
1 1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup finely sliced locally grown scallions
organic oil for frying

Pour hot water over 1 1/5 cups of flour.  Stir and add more flour until the dough turns into a soft ball.  Turn out onto a floured work surface and knead for 10 minutes, add more flour as needed.  Set aside to rest, covered, for 1 hour.

On a floured work surface, turn out dough again.  Roll out dough into a rectangle about 1/8-1/4 in thick.  Brush on the oil, sprinkle with salt and scallions and then roll up like you are making cinnamon rolls.  Cut into 8 pieces and roll out on a well floured surface until 1/8 in thick.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a frying pan on medium heat.  Fry the pancakes for 2 minutes each side or until golden brown.  Try not to eat them all before serving.