Spring onion pancake

I must've mentioned before how one of my 'things to do in life' is to learn how to make dimsims.  Of all the things that I would really love to learn how to make are har-gau, char siu bau, chiu-chow fun gwo (as my Mum loves them), ma lai go and those sesame balls filled with red bean past.  I've yet to attempt them, partly because they're all labour intensive or require equipment that I don't have.  The things that I have tried are egg tarts, the various types of pastries, other types of buns and now, the spring onion pancake.  I came across a recipe for the spring onion pancake a while ago, bookmarked it and forgot about it.  It only came back to me when I was clearing out my fridge and saw half a bunch of spring onions looking like it needed to be used.  It's a simple recipe -- the only downside is that it isn't fast food.

The recipe can be increased or decreased.  I halved the original recipe and ended up with one pansized pancake, and I ate it all while watching the Saturday Night Live vids of Tina Fey as Sarah Palin.  Hee-larious!  It was an afternoon very well spent.

Spring onion pancake

Makes 1 medium sized pancake

Ingredients

• 1 cup plain flour
• 1/4 cup of warm water + more (if necessary)
• 2 spring onions, finely sliced
• Salt
• Sesame oil

Method

1. Make your dough by adding the warm water to the flour and incorporating well.  You want the dough to be come off the sides easily, be barely sticky and certainly not rock hard -- add more water as you see need be.  Cover with a damp tea towel and let sit for 30 minutes so the dough can relax.
2. After resting, roll your dough out to about 5 mm thin. If you're doubling the recipe, divide the dough into two pieces first before rolling out.
3. Brush with sesame oil and sprinkle lots of salt over it.  Add the spring onions (as much as you please!). Pick up one end of the round and begin rolling it into a tight little cigar.
4. Pinch the ends, then twist the dough into a snail.  Let it rest for about 10 minutes.  Then roll it out to the thickness you want (I'd say 5-10 mm thin).
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
5. Heat a non-stick pan and add oil -- enough to just slightly coat the entire pan (you need the oil to make it crispy)
6. Slice into wedges and eat warm