We are a dough family. We love our carbs. With my family roots stemming from northern China, we are unapologetic when it comes to eating noodles, dumplings and spring-onion pancakes.
If you love cooking, you will surely have tried making a spring-onion pancake – a crispy pancake with layers of spring onion in between. It's the ultimate accompaniment to another traditional Taiwanese dish: beef noodle soup.
But did you know, there is what can only be described as the 'queen' of all spring-onion pancakes? It's called cong you fa mian bing (蔥油發麵餅). Loosely translated, it means 'spring-onion flatbread'.
This heftier, fluffier and much more substantial version of spring-onion pancake relies on yeast to give it a towering rise, although I have seen some versions involving baking powder, but they're cheat versions and produce a more scone-like texture, which is not authentic.
Enjoy Lunar New Year with a spring onion flatbread. Source: Jenny
On the streets of Taiwan, where my parents grew up, you can still see street-food vendors selling spring-onion flatbread in the morning, which is best enjoyed with a steaming hot cup of soy milk – sweet or savoury, your choice.
Some market vendors step up their game and fill the flatbread with thinly sliced soy-marinated beef before garnishing it with more fresh spring onions. They also spread a generous layer of sticky sweet-and-sour plum sauce to finish this portable breakfast sandwich.
The recipe is simple. In fact, it can be made with a pizza- or bread-dough recipe. The key is to ensure that the layers are evenly dispersed. This can only be achieved with lots of the peppery spring-onion-oil mixture.
Spring onion flatbread should be soft on the inside and crisp on the outer. Source: Instagram/IfeiChi
The pancake can be baked in the oven, but traditional recipes ask that it be cooked over a very low flame in a skillet for a crispier texture on the outside and a soft pillowy texture in the middle.
Spring-onion flatbread
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
Dough
- 4 cups (500 g) plain flour
- 2 tsp sugar
- 2 tsp dried yeast
- 1 cup (260 mL) tepid water
Spring onion oil
- 3 spring onions, finely chopped
- 1 tsp salt
- 4 tbsp oil
- ½ tsp white pepper
- 1 tsp Sichuan pepper, optional
- Sesame seeds to garnish the flatbread
Frying
- 1 tbsp oil
Method
- Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl and slowly add the water until you make a uniform dough. If your dough is too dry, add a splash of water. Continue to knead for at least 8 minutes to develop the gluten (you can use a mixer). Cover with a tea towel and let the dough rest for 45 minutes or until doubled in size.
- In a small bowl, mix the spring onions and spices together. Stir in the oil and set aside.
- When the dough has risen, lightly punch it down with your fist.
- Roll the dough out on a clean and floured work bench. Make sure to push the dough out, even though the gluten will resist this. Roll into a long log shape with approximately ½ cm in thickness or less – remember the dough will rise.
- Using a spoon, spread the spring-onion-oil mix onto the rolled-out dough – like you are making a cinnamon roll. Roll the dough into a snail-shaped coil (like a spiral).
- Lightly roll again with your rolling pin to flatten to about 2cm in thickness, cover and let rise for another 30 minutes.
- When ready to pan fry, add a tablespoon of cooking oil to a pan over medium heat.
- Place the flatbread into the pan and sprinkle sesame seeds on top. Put the pan lid on and cook until golden brown. This will take approximately 12-15 minutes on each side. Be careful not to burn the seeds.
- The flatbread is ready when it sounds hollow to tap.
- When slightly cool, serve the flatbread in large slices.
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