Spring Onion Pancakes with Sesame Sauce

There are lots of variations when making spring onion pancakes. Below we have included two options for sesame dipping sauce and multiple ways to make the filling, depending on if you want a lot of onion (a full bunch) or a little (just 1 cup of greens), as well as your thoughts about five spice. Five spice is recommended but optional. You can add the five spice to the mix with the flour before adding water, sprinkle on the rolled out dough with the onions, or for the most complicated version, follow the recipe as is.

Adapted from Meera Sodha and Sneh Roy

For the pancakes:
About 1.5 cup (or 275g) plain flour, plus two tablespoons
3/4 cup hot water
1 teaspoon fine sea salt, divided
½ tsp Chinese five spice powder (optional but recommended)
1 bunch of small spring onions, finely sliced, or 1 cup of spring onion greens
Coconut oil or sesame oil for brushing
Vegetable, coconut, or olive oil for cooking
For the miso-tahini sesame sauce:
2 tablespoons tahini
3 tablespoons sweet white miso
1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
2 tbsp white-wine vinegar
½ tsp chilli oil sediment plus 1 tbsp oil
For the soy-sesame sauce:
2 tablespoons light soy sauce or tamari
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon grated ginger
1 large garlic clove, grated
1/2 teaspoon red chilli flakes
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon sesame seeds

Place flour and salt in a medium bowl. Make a well in the centre. Add the hot water.

Using chopsticks, mix the water into the flour till it resembles breadcrumbs.

Using your hand, knead into a smooth dough. If too sticky, use a dusting of extra flour. If too stiff, add a tablespoon of water. Dough should be soft and pliable. Work and knead the dough into a smooth ball (this takes about 5 minutes). Cover with a tea towel and rest for at least 30 minutes (up to two hours).

While resting, prepare the sauce of your choice. The tahini sauce may need a tablespoon or two of cold water to loosen it. Also use this time to prepare the filling. Heat two tablespoons of oil in a nonstick pan, then pour into a small heatproof bowl. Put the pan to one side, but don’t wash it as you’ll use it again later, to cook the pancakes. Add the five spice, the two extra tablespoons of flour and a quarter-teaspoon of salt to the melted oil, stir to combine and set aside.

Divide dough into four portions. Dust a clean workbench lightly with flour. Using a rolling pin, roll your dough out into a thin rectangle shape. Brush the rolled portion with sesame oil. Scatter the five-spice mix and spring onions leaving a 1/2 inch margin all around. From the top, start rolling the dough onto the spring onion into a cigar shape. Make sure you roll it tight so that the dough is wrapped tightly around the spring onions. Pinch and seal the ends. Starting at one end, coil the cigar roll until you reach the other end and are left with a 4 inch coiled disc. Flatten the coiled disc with the palm of your hand and dust with flour. Using a rolling pin, roll the coil into a 5 to 6 inch round pancake. Repeat with the remaining dough portions.

Heat a cast iron frying pan on medium. Drizzle some olive/vegetable oil in the pan. Place your pancake in the pan. Pan fry on each side for a few minutes (3-4) until golden and crispy. Remove from heat and keep warm. When all pancakes are finished, cut into wedges and serve hot with the dipping sauce.