Green Onion Pancake

Green Onion Pancake (蔥花餅 -- Cōnghuā bǐng)

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder

1/2 cup water

4 green onions, green parts only, trimmed and cut into small rounds

2 tablespoons oil, for brushing

Additional all-purpose flour, for dusting and rolling

Oil, for frying

Sift the all-purpose flour into a big bowl and then add the salt and chicken bouillon powder into the flour. Combine well and set aside.

Heat the water to a boil. Slowly add the water to the flour and knead the dough until it becomes soft, no longer sticky and the surface becomes smooth and shiny, about 15 minutes. If the dough is too dry, add 1 to 1-1/2 tablespoons of water to the dough. Cover the dough with a damp cloth and let it rest for 30 minutes.

Add the green onion into the dough and combine well.

On a flat and floured surface, divide the dough into 8 equal-sized pieces. Roll each piece of dough into a ball using your palm.

Working with one dough ball at a time, roll the dough to a thin disc using a rolling pin. Dust the rolling pin with some all-purpose flour as you go. Brush the surface of the pancake with the oil.

Roll the dough into a cylinder. Coil it up like a snail.

Dust the rolling pin with the flour and roll the dough until flat, measuring about 6 inches (15cm) in diameter. Set the dough aside on a baking sheet.

Repeat with rest of the dough until you have eight pancakes.

Add about 1/4-inch of oil into a stir-fry pan or skillet over moderately high heat. Place a piece of pancake onto the pan or skillet. Shallow fry each side of the pancake to a light golden brown, about 1 minute. Flip the pancake over and shallow fry the other side. Add more oil, repeat the same for the remaining pancakes and serve immediately.