Vegan Scallion Pancakes (Cong You Bing) - Chinese#BreadBakers

Green onion pancakes (Cong You Bing) are a breakfast and snack staple in China and Taiwan. The green onion, also called the scallion or spring onion. This green onion an herb that’s indispensable in Chinese cooking. A scallion pancake is a Chinese savory, unleavened flatbread/pancake with oil and minced scallions (tender green onions).

Unlike the Western pancakes, this is made with dough instead of batter. The end result is a flaky flatbread. Pan frying the pancakes releases the aroma from the green onion and makes them irresistible.
Hot water is used to gelatinize some of the gluten in the flour making a soft flaky pancake. Scallion pancakes are also a street food of China. Though these are called scallion pancakes, they are actually more of a flatbread than a pancake. Made from unleavened/non yeasted dough that’s rolled into layers (like parathas ) with scallions and fried in sesame or peanut oil, they’re crisp and flaky on the outside with a soft, chewy center. To give it a healthy twist I have used half whole wheat flour.

These can be had without any dipping sauce, but, we enjoyed it with Sweet Chili Sauce.
Makes 4 pancakes
Ingredients
For the Dough
4 Teaspoons Sesame oil
1 Cup All Purpose flour
1 Cup Whole Wheat flour
¾ Cup Hot Water
½ Teaspoon Salt
For The Filling
6 - 7 Scallions /Spring Onions - finely chopped
½ Teaspoon Salt
Vegetable or Sesame oil as required

Method

In a bowl, add the flour, salt and boiling water. Mix it with a spoon on until the dough comes together. Take the dough on to a work surface, knead until the dough is smooth and not super sticky. Cover the bowl with a damp towel and let the dough rest for at least 30 minutes.

Chop the scallions finely, keep them aside.

On a well floured surface, cut the dough into 4 equal-sized pieces. Shape each piece into a round ball.

Using plenty of flour to keep the dough from sticking, roll one of the balls out into an a big circle. Brush just a teaspoon of sesame oil onto the dough and use a pastry brush to spread it around evenly.

Evenly distribute a little of the chopped scallions on top of the dough and then sprinkle with a pinch of sea salt.

Roll the dough as if you're making flaky parathas / cinnamon rolls. 

Then hold the two ends of the rolls and lightly tap it on the work surface to stretch it a little longer.

Wrap the rolled dough around itself so it looks like a snail shell/coil, pinching the ends.

Flatten out the coil with your hand and roll out to a thick circle. 

If you want your pancake to have more crunchy surface area you can roll it out thinner, but in doing this the layers in the dough you just created will fuse together and start breaking at the edges. So the pancakes should be a little thick. Repeat the same method with the rest of the dough to make the pancakes.

Heat a a heavy bottomed frying pan over medium low heat with a tablespoon of oil. 

When the oil is hot, place the pancake on it and let is cook until just brown spots start to appear on the bottom side, then flip and fry the other side for another few minutes or until golden spots appear on it. 

Keep flipping and pressing the pancake till it's golden on both sides, smear a little oil as your are flipping, to gets a nice golden crust on top. 

Be careful not to have the heat too high, otherwise the scallion pancake will burn before it cooks through. Fry the rest of the pancakes, by adding another tablespoon of oil to both sides of the pancake. As the scallion pancakes are cooked, transfer them to a paper towel lined to drain any excess oil. 

They are all ready, serve hot. 

Serve hot with a little bit of soy sauce or Hot chili sauce or sweet chili sauce and a some chopped scallions to either of the sauces you choose to enjoy it with.

Labels: Appetizer, Breakfast, Chinese, Pancakes, Scallions, Street food, Flatbread, Asian Cuisine, China

For Bread bake this month our host Wendy Klik asked us to share our favorite Chinese Bread recipes. 

• Chinese Buffet Style Donuts by Palatable Pastime
• Cocktail Buns by Zesty South Indian Kitchen 
• Hua Juan (Scallion Flower Rolls) by Magical Ingredients.
• Jujube Mantou by A Messy Kitchen 
• Nai Nai's Pork Bao by Culinary Adventures with Camilla 
• Pan Fried Pork and Scallion Buns (Sheng Jian Bao) by Karen’s Kitchen Stories 
• Scallion Flatbread by A Day in the Life on the Farm 
• Tiger Biting Pig Buns - Lǎohǔ Yǎo Zhū Bāozi by Food Lust People Love 
• Vegan Scallion Pancakes (Cong You Bing) by Sneha's Recipe

#BreadBakers is a group of bread loving bakers who get together once a month to bake bread with a common ingredient or theme. You can see all our of lovely bread by following our Pinterest board right here. Links are also updated after each event on the #BreadBakers home page.  

We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme/ingredient. If you are a food blogger and would like to join us, just send Stacy an email with your blog URL to foodlustpeoplelove@gmail.com.

Prawns In Hoisin Sauce#FishFriday

Hoisin sauce is a sweet n sour Chinese sauce. Though its literal meaning is "seafood", Hoisin sauce does not contain fish.

This goes to our event for Fish Friday Foodies, theme for November is Stir-Fry. Our  Karen H Kerr, asked us to create a stir-fry featuring seafood. 

Ingredients, 
1 Cup Prawns - Peeled and de-viened
1 Teaspoon Sesame Oil
3-4 Garlic Cloves - Chopped
3 Spring Onions - Chopped
½ Cup French Beans - parboiled
1 Medium Capsicum - Cut in slices
3 Green Chilies - Cut in slices
½ Cup Baby Corn - Cut in slices
2 Teaspoon Hoisin Sauce
1 Teaspoon Hot Chili Sauce
1 Teaspoon Honey
½ Teaspoon Soy Sauce

Method
Heat olive oil in wok. Swirl it around. Add the garlic, green chilies and fry them for half a minute
Add spring onions and capsicum and mix till they are soft. Take it off the pan.
Add the prawns to the pan. Allow to cook from one side then flip it and let it cook from the other side.
Add all the veggies, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, chili sauce and honey to the prawns and mix for about 4 minutes. Adjust salt.
Serve hot with steamed rice, garlic bread, boiled noodles or fried rice. 

My Notes:
Vegetables  like carrots, broccoli, mushrooms, etc can also be used.

Labels: Chinese, Fish, Hoisin sauce, Prawns, Asian Cuisine, China, Fish Friday, Stir Fry 

An InLinkz Link-up

Chinese Veg Bao Buns # BreadBakers

When I made the event page for Steamed Buns for Bread Baker this month, was so excited to make  them.  But, every time, I, planned to make it something or the other would crop up and it was kept on the side burner. Just made them yesterday after seeing so many of you posting the links. 
At last they were done and these Bao buns, they were a hit, we enjoyed them hot for dinner minus any extra trimmings. 

I, had eaten these Chicken filled Bao buns in a Chinese restaurant in Mumbai and in Spain at a food event enjoyed delicious Pork Buns  there - fell in love with them, they were on my do to list for long time.  

My first thought was to make a chicken filled bao buns, but then thought of my hubby dear who has not tasted these beautiful buns, so made them vegetarian and as already mentioned above they were worth the effort.    Thanks to Bread Bakers group who gives me a chance to create new, delicious  and innovative bread recipes every month. 

Makes - 7 Buns

Ingredients
For the dough
150 Grams All Purpose Flour
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Baking powder
2 Teaspoons Oil
1/2 Teaspoon Rapid Rising Yeast
1 Teaspoon Sugar
75  to 100 Ml  Warm Water

For the topping

Chilly flakes as required
Black Sesame seeds as required

For the Filling

1 Tablespoon Oil
1 Teaspoon Ginger - finely chopped

1 Teaspoon Garlic - finely chopped 
1 Teaspoon Green Chilly - finely chopped 

1 Large Onion - sliced
1 Tablespoon Celery stems
1/4 Cup Coloured Bell Peppers
1/4 Teaspoon Salt 
1/4 Cup  Shreded Purple Cabbage
1/4 Cup Thinly Sliced Carrot
100 Grams Paneer - cut into sticks
1/2 Teaspoon Soy Sauce
1 Teaspoon Chilly sauce
1 Tablespoon Tomato Ketchup
1 Teaspoon Chilly Powder
3 Basil leaves - chopped

1/2 Teaspoon Vinegar

For applying - Sweet Chilly sauce as required

Method 

For the dough
Make a smooth soft dough by adding little water at a time to make the dough.  Keep it covered till it doubles in size. 

Deflate the dough and divide the dough into small balls and knead with dry flour or a oiled surface

to make small thick oblong or round circle, apply oil well on the circle.

Place a oiled parchement paper or use banana leaf as I have done and fold lightly. 

Apply oil on outer sides too sprinkle black or white sesame seeds  and  chilly flakes on both sides.  

Place a on a foil or banana leaf that is  greased well with oil in a steamer and steam on high flame well for 15 minutes. I used the Idli stand to steam the buns.

In the meanwhile let's prepare the filling.

Heat a pan with oil and  add add the sauces, ketchup, chilly powder. salt and mix it well then add the paneer sticks and toss it well coated and the sauces start bubbling, now add all the  veggies just toss everything well do not overcook they should be crunchy. Stuffing is ready

To assemble -- get ready to relish them

Take the hot steamed buns and open it apply little sweet chilly sauce place the stuffing and enjoy...

Labels :  Breads, Steamed, Chinese, China, Paneer, Vegetables, Bread Bakers, Bao Buns, Healthy Dinners
Check out the recipes that our group of bread bakers have created.

African Steamed Mealie Bread from The Schizo Chef
Chinese Sugar Buns from Gayathri Kumar

Chinese Veg Bao Buns from Sneha's Recipe

Chinese steamed buns from Sara's tasty buds
Dampfnudeln with Steamed Apples from The Bread She Bakes

Pork and chinese chive steamed buns from Karen's Kitchen Stories

Vegetable Steamed Buns from Passion Kneaded

#BreadBakers is a group of bread loving bakers who get together once a month to bake bread with a common ingredient or theme. You can see all our of lovely bread by following our Pinterest board right here. Links are also updated after each event on the #BreadBakers home page. We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme/ingredient.

Sweet Corn Chicken - Chinese style # SoupSwappers

For Soup Swappers, this month is hosted by Kathy at A Spoonful of Thyme, has chosen theme for is "Let’s Go International".  I, decided to make one of the most popular and one of my favorite, comforting, healthy soup, delicious , easy to make,  tasty Chinese Sweet Corn Chicken Soup.
This is such a simple and delicious soup to warm away the chilly evenings. If you like to order chicken sweet corn soup in Chinese restaurants, like me, then you'll definitely  love and enjoy this soup. Sweet Corn Chicken Soup is a light, creamy soup. 

Ingredients
150 Grams Boneless Chicken - finely cubed
2 Cups White Chicken Stock - Homemade
1/4 + 1/4 Teaspoon Salt
1/4 + 1/4 Teaspoon White pepper
1 Tin Cream style Corn
1 Tablespoon Corn flour
1/3 Cup Water
An Egg  - beaten 

Method
Marinate  the chicken with 1/4 Teaspoon salt and pepper, keep aside for 15 to 20 minutes.
Mix corn flour with water into a smooth paste.

Heat in a wok,  add chicken stock with the marinated chicken cook till boiling, reduce the flame and let it simmer till chicken is done.  Add cream corn and mix well, bring this to a boil and again let it simmer for 5 to 7 minutes. Add the cornflour paste and stir till it is well mixed and starts to thicken. Lastly add beaten egg, stir cook for 2 minutes and remove. 

Serve hot with  Chilly Vinegar, Soy sauce and Red Chilly Sauce.  Enjoy this hearty and soul warming any time and season soup.

Labels :  Chicken, Soup, Soup Swappers, Corn, China, Asian Cuisine, Sweet Corn Chicken
Look up for the coming post of White Chicken Stock - Homemade

An InLinkz Link-up

Chinese Shrimp Wonton Soup #FishFridayFoodie

This a light 'Chinese dumpling' soup ... comforting for this cold weather. I love this clear wonton soup. 

We had this soup as a complete meal and were blissfully satisfied...mmm.. yum..

Serves 3
Ingredients
For the Filling
100 Grams Shrimps - - peeled, deveined & chopped

100 Grams Whole Shrimps - made to a coarse paste 
Wonton wrappers as required
1 Teaspoon Fish Sauce
1 Teaspoon Sesame Oil
1 Teaspoon Sugar
¼ Teaspoon Ground Pepper
1 Spring Onion - white and greens Chopped
A pinch of Salt

For the Soup
A drizzle of Sesame Oil
1 Tablespoon Spring Onion - white chopped
1 Teaspoon Sesame Oil
1 Teaspoon Fish sauce
1 Teaspoon Sugar
1 Small Carrot - sliced in roundels
3 Button Mushrooms - cut into big pieces
1 Cup Water - from the cooked wontons
500 ML Chicken Stock - I used homemade
1/2 Teaspoon Vinegar - optional - I added
Salt to taste

For Garnishing
1 Spring Onion - chopped
1 Fresh Red Chilly - crushed or paste

Method

To make the Wontons
In a large bowl, mix shrimps chopped and the paste with green onions, fish sauce, , sesame oil and salt. Stir it until the filling becomes sticky and you get a paste texture.Spoon  in a teaspoon of  filling,  in the center of the wrapper. Wet the edge with your finger and seal the wrapper.  Assemble the wonton one by one, keep aside.
Boil 3 -4 cups of water in pot - bring it to a rolling boil add wontons in to cook for around 3-4 minutes or unitl the wontons begin to float. Spoon them out and place them in individual serving bowls. Reserve this water for making the soup.

To Make the Soup
In a pan drizzle some sesame oil add the chopped white part of the onions fry till brown and crisp. Keep aside,

In large pot / vessel heat sesame oil add the onion, carrot, mushrooms and saute for a minute then add the chicken broth, water, fish sauce, browned onions and salt to taste. Bring it to a boil, cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Take off flame. Add vinegar and the soup is ready.

In serving bowls, pour the soup over the wontons, garnish with spring onion and a little red chilly paste... Serve and enjoy this hot comforting soup on a cold day.... yum....

I am enjoying this ...

Sending this to Fish Friday Foodies - Hosted by Wendy Klik and Stacy Livingston Rushton - theme for chilly February - seafood stews and soups of the world.

Labels : Soup, Fish Friday, Shrimp, Wontons, Healthy, China, Chinese Shrimp Wonton Soup

An InLinkz Link-up