Chinese Spiral Scallion Pancakes Cong You Bing

Stir 135 ml water at around 80°C gradually into 250 g flour using a spoon. When cool enough to touch, knead five minutes until smooth. Cover with a damp cloth and rest 30 minutes at room temperature.

Wash 100 g scallions and dry thoroughly before chopping. Divide dough into four and roll each to an 18 cm circle. Brush 5 ml oil on each and divide 3 g salt and 100 g scallions evenly over them.

Roll each circle into a cylinder, coil it into a spiral, tuck the end underneath and rest two minutes. Press flat and carefully roll to a 15 cm round, about 5 mm thick.

Use the remaining 35 ml frying oil (after 20 ml was used to shape dough), divided over the four pancakes, about 8–9 ml per pancake. Cook one at a time over medium heat 3–4 minutes per side; if the outside browns too fast, lower heat and continue until the middle has no raw flour dough. Press 12 g toasted sesame seeds over both sides of the four pancakes.

Mix 20 ml soy, 10 ml vinegar, 20 ml water, 2 g sugar and 5 g minced garlic for dipping. Cut pancakes into wedges and serve four warm.