Improvised Chinese Scallion Pancakes (快手葱油饼)

My Improvised Chinese Scallion Pancakes (快手葱油饼) are smaller than the typical Chinese scallion pancakes, but they are just as crispy, chewy, and fragrant. The best part: they only take 20 minutes from start to finish to make.

I made these Improvised Chinese Scallion Pancakes (快手葱油饼) for my family the other day as an experiment. I wanted to make a snack that was quick but also yummy at the same time. As a mom with two active small boys, I’m often put in survival mode, especially during the pandemic and the summer months when both of them are home with me. So I didn’t want to spend too much time making snacks when I’m already short on time.

I happened to have some dumpling wrappers leftover. And a light bulb came on to use them to make scallion pancakes! My experiments are often hit-or-miss. My boys and my husband are my guinea pigs. Luckily, this one was a hit. They finished all my Improvised Scallion Pancakes and asked for more. The next morning, my oldest asked me if I could make these scallion pancakes again. That was when I knew I should refine it and share the recipe.

To call these pancakes “improvised” is not an exaggeration. These are not the traditional Chinese scallion pancakes made from scratch, which takes more than an hour to make (that’s it if you can get the dough right). I’m definitely taking a huge shortcut here by using store-bought dumpling wrappers. I encourage you to try making some. It’s super easy and takes less than 30 minutes to finish even for first timer.

These Improvised Scallion Pancakes are crispy, full of fragrance, and paper thin. They are the perfect savory snack and/or breakfast.

Tool: Roller Pin, Pastry Brush

Vegan

Preparation Time:  15 minutes

Total Time:  20 minutes

Servings: 10 small or 6 large scallion pancakes

Ingredients:

• 10 small, store-bought dumpling wrappers or 6 large store-bought dumpling wrappers ¹
• 3 green onions or scallions ²
• 1/4 teaspoon table salt
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Preparation:

1. Mince the scallions and add them to a small bowl. Add 1/4 teaspoon of table salt to the minced scallions. Mix well. In a separate small bowl, add 2 tablespoons vegetable oil.

2. On a large cutting board or working surface, lay down the 10 small dumpling wrappers or 6 large dumpling wrappers. Thoroughly brush both sides with vegetable oil.

3. Add 1/4 teaspoon of minced scallions to each of the small dumpling wrappers or 1/2 teaspoon of minced green onions to each of the large dumpling wrappers. Use the back of the teaspoon to spread the minced green onions into a thin layer within the inner circle of the wrapper, leaving an outer ring without green onions.

4. Use both hands to roll each dumpling wrapper into a flat strip and press both ends gently. Then roll the strip again from end to the other. See pictures. Repeat the same process for all the dumpling wrappers.

5. Lift the rolled dumpling wrappers so the “inner flower” sides are up. Use your palm to gently press down to create a small disk. Use a rolling pin to roll out the disk into a small pancake, about the size of the original wrapper. Do not worry if things get messy and the green onions “leak” out. Repeat the same process to roll out all the pancakes.

6. Heat a large non-stick or well seasoned skillet under medium-low heat. Brush some vegetable oil onto the surface. When the skillet is warm, add the scallion pancakes one by one without overlapping. Cook each side for 1 to 3 minutes or until both sides change to a light golden brown and the surface is more transparent. Quickly transfer all the scallion pancakes to a plate to cool. Let stand for 2 minutes before consuming. Enjoy while warm!

Bon Appétit

Notes:

1. You can get these dumpling wrappers from any Asian grocery store these days. You can use either small or large dumpling wrappers as long as they are soft without any freezer burn. I’ve tried a couple of brands. The one I had the most success with (less breaking or leaking) was a Korean-brand dumpling wrapper which has both wheat and glutinous rice flours. I think the glutinous rice flour makes the wrapper softer and easier to manipulate. So if you can find one with both wheat and glutinous rice flours, try using that. Otherwise, regular wheat dumpling wrappers work just as well. The minced scallions tend to leak out more, but it does not affect taste at all. It just looks more messy. My boys actually liked my Improvised Scallion Pancakes made with small dumpling wrappers (using only wheat flour) better.

2. You can use either green onions or scallions here. At least in the US, grocery stores do not differentiate between the two. For convenience, I refer to both as scallion in my post.

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