Cong You Bing (Chinese Scallion Pancakes)

Learn to Make Cong You Bing (Chinese Scallion Pancakes)! A scallion pancake is a flatbread-like pancake. It is one of the most popular Chinese staple foods and street foods. This dish is loved for its ultra crispy, flaky texture, and oniony taste.

Cong You Bing
(Chinese Scallion Pancakes)

In this post, I’ll show you how to make ‘Cong You Bing’ or Chinese Scallion Pancakes the easy way from scratch. Here you’ll find an easy-to-follow recipe with step-by-step pictures, helpful info plus top tips.

I hope you will try the recipe and enjoy ‘Cong You Bing’ as much as I do!! You can serve them as a snack or light meal at any time of the day. Both cooked and uncooked pancakes freeze well so perfect as a quick meal.

What is Cong You Bing?

Cong You Bing (葱油饼) is also known as Chinese Scallion Pancakes, Scallion Pancakes, Green Onion Pancakes, or Spring Onion Pancakes. They are popular street food and a staple food in China.

Although referred to as ‘pancake’ in English, Cong You Bing is different from Western-type pancakes. It’s a type of unleavened layered flatbread folded with minced scallions. It is made from a flour-water dough that’s rolled up, spiraled, flattened, and then pan-fried.

葱 = scallion
油 = oil
饼 = round flat cake, pancake, flatbread, biscuit, etc.
葱油饼 (Cong You Bing) = “scallion oil flatbread or “scallion oil pancake”

More Flatbread Recipes to Try

Ingredients

Here are the ingredients you’ll need to make this recipe. For the exact quantities of each ingredient, check the printable recipe card below.

• Flour – All-purpose flour or plain flour.
• Water – Hot water and lukewarm water
• Fat – Lard is traditionally used. Sub with coconut oil or any neutral cooking oil.
• Scallion -Scallions (green onion, or spring onion)
• Seasoning – Salt and pepper or other seasonings like chili powder, Five-spice powder, cumin powder, etc.

How Do You Make the Dough?

Plain flour and water are the only ingredients you need for the dough. You can make either thin crispy or thick soft pancakes according to your preference.

The texture of the pancake depends on the temperature of the water you use. Hot water makes a soft dough while cold water helps to make a crispy dough.

You can use only hot water if you like it that way. I prefer mixing hot water with some lukewarm water to adjust the texture of the pancakes.

This dough is very easy to make by hand. Hot water creates a soft dough with a less elastic texture. This dough doesn’t need lengthy kneading. Shaping is also very easy.

Useful Tips

It is a bit difficult to make them perfect in the beginning. Once you master the art by using a few simple steps, it will become easy.

Making the Dough

• The flour-to-water ratio varies slightly depending on the type of flour. Adjust as needed.
• It’s a warm dough, so you need to cover the dough with cling film (to prevent the moisture from evaporating). Leave it to rest for 10 minutes or so. This resting will help you to handle the dough easily.
• To prevent the dough from sticking, apply a thin layer of oil over the entire dough. Also, apply oil to the work surface you’re using. Make sure to lightly oil your hands during kneading or folding.
• The paste made with oil and flour helps to make flaky pancakes by laminating the layers of the dough. Make sure to brush a good layer of the oil paste in between layers and then roll it up loosely. 

Cooking the Pancake

• It’s important to have a hot pan when you place the pancakes in. Start with a hot pan with hot oil then cook the pancake over medium heat.
• If the temperature is high, the outer layer will get burnt before the inner part is fully cooked.
• If the pan and oil are not hot enough, the dough tends to soak up more oil. This results in a greasy taste. Drop a piece of scallions to test the oil temperature. If it sizzles, the oil is hot enough.
• To achieve the perfect texture, crispy outside and soft inside. You need to cook them in a generous amount of oil. Control the temperature throughout the cooking process.

Make Ahead

Uncooked scallion pancakes freeze well. So, you can make a big batch by multiplying the quantity of the ingredients proportionally. After stuffing and shaping the pancakes, make sure to pile them up using plastic or parchment paper. This will separate each piece and prevent sticking. Then put them in airtight bags before freezing. Whenever you need a piece, simply pull out one and pan-fry without defrosting.

Dipping Sauce

In China, these savory pancakes are often served with a slightly sweet, tangy, and spicy dipping sauce.

The sauce is made with soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, sesame oil, ginger, chili flakes, and chopped spring onions.

You can make the sauce ahead and refrigerate it in an airtight container for about 3 days. Bring it to room temperature before serving.

Serving Suggestions

Best served hot. You can serve them as a snack just plain or with a dipping sauce. You can also serve them as a light meal with savory side dishes or soup.

Storing Suggestions

You can store leftover pancakes in airtight bags in the fridge for about 3 days. Then reheat them in a hot pan before serving.

Cooked scallion pancakes freeze well. So, you can make the pancakes in big batches and keep the leftovers in the freezer.

Wrap them individually in plastic wrap and then put the wrapped pancakes into a zipper-lock bag. Whenever you need a piece, simply pull out one. Defrost it at room temperature. Then reheat it in a hot pan.

More Savory Pancakes to Try

“Around the World in Pancakes & Buddies” is one of the fantastic food journeys I am bound on. Would you like to join me?

Cong You Bing (Chinese Scallion Pancakes)
Step-by-Step Recipe

Prep time 30 mins
Resting Time 40 mins
Cook time 10 mins
Yield 2 pancakes (20cm)

Ingredients

For the dough
125g all-purpose flour
60ml hot water, boiled
20ml lukewarm water
Cooking oil for coating

For the filling
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 tbsp plain flour
Salt and black pepper, to taste
100g scallions, finely chopped

For Frying
Cooking oil, as needed

For Dipping Sauce
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp vinegar
1/2 tbsp ginger, minced
1/4 tsp red chili flakes
1 tsp sugar
1 tbsp scallions, finely chopped

Instructions

Make the dough

• Place the sifted flour in a heatproof large bowl.
• Mix the boiled water with lukewarm water.
• Add right away into the flour, a little at a time.
• Mix with a wooden spoon until there is no more loose flour.
• Cover the bowl with cling film and leave to rest for 10 minutes.

It’s a warm dough. Resting will help you to handle the dough easily. Covering prevents the moisture from evaporating.

• With your hands, combine the flour mixture into a rough-looking dough.
• Then knead until it becomes smooth for about 5 minutes.

Make sure to rub a thin layer of oil around the dough, and the work surface before kneading.

Cover the dough and let rest for about 20 to 30 min.

Prepare the filling

While waiting for the dough to rest, prepare the filling ingredients.

• In a small bowl, mix oil, flour, pepper, and salt until it becomes a smooth paste.
• Chop scallions into fine pieces. You can use both the white part and the green part, or only the green.

Prepare the Dipping Sauce

Mix the ingredients for the sauce in a small bowl.

Shape the pancakes

• After resting, cut the dough into 2 equal pieces.
• Take one out, and cover the other.
• Rub a thin layer of oil on the work surface.
• Roll out the dough into a thin rectangle or a circle with a rolling pin.
• Brush generously the top of the flattened dough with the oil mixture.

Then scatter the chopped scallion and season with more salt and pepper, if desired.

Roll the dough into a rope starting from one side.

Don’t make it too tight.

• Then make a spiral with the roll as shown in the picture below.
• Cover with plastic wrap and rest for about 10 minutes.
• Repeat with the other piece of dough.

First, press down the dough with your hand, then flatten it with the rolling pin into a round-shaped pancake.

You can make either thin or thick pancakes according to your preference. I like the thin version.

Fry the pancakes

In a frying pan, heat the oil over medium-high. Turn the heat down to medium and put in the pancakes. Fry for about 2 minutes until the bottom side becomes golden brown. Adjust the cooking time and heat as needed.

When the first side becomes golden brown, flip over to cook the other side. If you like a crispy pancake, fry it in a generous amount of oil. Flip it a few times.

Remove the pancake from the pan. Rest the pancakes on a wire rack for a minute before serving. This will help to evaporate the extra moisture. If placed on a plate right away, it becomes soggy due to condensation.

Serve and Enjoy!

I like to cut it into triangular pieces just like how you cut a pizza. Best served warm.

Although they are tasty on their own, a dipping sauce would make a great accompaniment.

THANK YOU FOR STOPPING BY
I love hearing from you so feel free to leave a comment on the post. If you make any of my recipes, I’d love to see pics of your creations #joyofeatingtheworld or @joyofeatingtheworld

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More Pancake Recipes to Try!!

“Around the World in Pancakes & Buddies” is one of the fantastic food journeys I am bound on. Would you like to join me?