Pan-Fried Scallion & Chive Bread (Chong Yu Bing) - cooking recipe

Ingredients
    1 tablespoon flavorful oil (eg. 1 teaspoon sesame oil mixed with 2 teaspoons corn or peanut oil)
    1 tablespoon hot chili oil
    1 1/2 cups green and white scallions, thinly sliced rings (green onion)
    1/2 cup coarsely chopped cilantro leaves and stems
    1/2 cup chinese chives or 1/2 cup regular chives, finely chopped
    2 cups all-purpose flour
    2 teaspoons baking powder
    1/3 cup very hot tap water
    1/3 cup cold water
    about 1 teaspoon kosher salt
    1/3 - 1/2 cup corn oil or 1/3-1/2 cup peanut oil, for pan-frying
Preparation
    Combine oil and chili oil in a small dish and set aside. Combine scallions, cilantro and chives in another bowl and set aside.
    Combine flour and baking powder in the bowl of a mixer fitted with the flat paddle. With machine running on low speed, add hot and cold water in quick succession. Stop machine as soon as dough comes together in a soft ball. If it's very tacky and sticky, add a bit more flour.
    Turn dough out onto a lightly floured board. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest 15 minutes. (If the dough has been made in a food processor, let rest 40 minutes.) Roll gently into a smooth log. Cut evenly into 4 pieces, then put each piece, cut side down, on the lightly floured board. Cover with plastic wrap.
    Working with a piece at a time, shape dough by rolling into a thin, even circle about 7 1/2 inches in diameter. Brush top with a generous film of the oil mixture, then sprinkle evenly with a rounded 1/4 teaspoon salt. Heap dough with 2/3 cup of reserved greens, then spread evenly over top. Roll up dough into a fat cylinder - it doesn't need to be too tight. Grasp one end of the dough and wind other end around it in a tight spiral. Tuck tail end underneath and press lightly with your hand to flatten. Gently roll out into a 6-inch circle. Put aside on a freshly floured spot, then repeat with remaining dough.
    Cook breads immediately to prevent a soggy texture. Heat an 8- to 10-inch heavy skillet over high heat until a bead of water evaporates on contact. Add enough oil to glaze bottom by 1/8 inch, swirling to coat; reduce heat to moderate. When oil is hot enough to foam a pinch of flour, add first bread to pan. Cook until bottom is golden and a bit crusty, 3 to 4 minutes. Adjust heat so bread doesn't scorch. Flip and fry until golden, about 3 minutes longer. Remove to paper towel-lined plate. Repeat process with oil and remaining dough.
    Serve breads fresh from skillet, each cut into fourths. Or let cool and hold at room temperature up to 8 hours. Reheat in 350\u00b0F oven until hot, about 5 minutes.

Leave a comment