recipebook3This is a popular side dish at most Chinese restaurants. Allow us to show you how to make authentic tasting, wafer-thin Chinese Pancakes.

Step 1: You will need

  • 300 g flour
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 240 ml boiling water
  • 6 tbsp sesame oil
  • some flour for dusting
  • 1 wooden spoon
  • 1 rolling pin
  • 1 tea towel
  • 1 fork
  • 1 frying pan
  • 1 tray
  • 1 knife
  • 1 brush
  • 1 7cm biscuit butter

Serves: 4 to 6

Preparation Time: 5 minutes

Cooking Time: 50 minutes

Step 2: Begin the dough

Put the flour and the sugar into a bowl. Combine them together with your wooden spoon then add the boiling water. Mix together, until it forms a sticky dough. Next, generously sprinkle the dough with some flour. Then dust the work surface and spoon the dough into the flour. Begin to gently fold the dough. Then knead it for a few minutes. Don't be afraid to add more flour to the dough, if necessary, as it might still be too sticky. Continue to knead until the dough takes on a smooth, non sticky, elastic consistency. Finally, cover it with a clean tea towel and set it aside for 30 minutes, to rest.

Step 3: Roll the dough

Uncover the dough and cut it in half. Rub the rolling pin with flour and roll one half into a thin sheet of about 1/2 cm in thickness. Repeat exactly the same process with the other piece.

Step 4: Cut the pancakes

Take one sheet and cut it into circles using the biscuit cutter. Take off the excess pastry but do not discard. You can roll it again later. Now brush each circle with a little bit of oil. Place one disk on top of the other, with their oiled sides together, to create a pair and repeat exactly the same process with the other half of the dough. Cover with a towel to retain the moisture.

Step 5: Roll the pancakes

Re- flour the working surface. Take each pair and using your rolling pin, roll them out to make them paper thin. Repeat until all of the pairs are rolled flat. Then cover again to retain the moisture.

Step 6: Fry the pancakes

Place the frying pan onto a medium-high heat and allow it to get very hot. Do not add any oil. When the pan is hot enough, add a pancake. Let it cook for about 1.5 minutes, until it begins to look char-grilled and slightly inflated. Then turn it over and cook other side. Remove it from the pan and separate it into two pancakes. This way of cooking, gives one slightly charred side, and a moist side. It also gives the pancakes more flavour and the dough is more elastic. Repeat with the rest of the pancakes. Once removed, keep them covered with a tea towel so they do not dry out.

Step 7: Serve or store

Your authentic Chinese pancakes are now ready. They can be eaten immediately, or they can be frozen. To reheat them, just steam them a bit!


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