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.

Baked Chicken Fingers#BakingBloggers

These baked chicken fingers are so delicious, they are actually no dirty fingers, just mix and make. No,  breading, crumbing, mess, oil wastage or gluey fingers!

Ingredients
500 Grams Chicken Mince
1 Teaspoon Heaped Ginger Garlic paste
1 Teaspoon Cumin powder
1 Teaspoon Red Chilly powder or according to taste
3 Green chillies - finely chopped according to taste
3 Tablespoon Fresh Coriander- finely chopped
10 - 12 Mint Leave - finely chopped
1 Spring Onion / Scallion - finely chopped
1 Small Onion - finely chopped
3/4 Teaspoon level Salt or according to taste 

1 Tablespoon Lemon juice

Method 

I used breast and thigh meat to make the mince, this will make the chicken fingers juicy and soft.  

               

Add all the ingredients in chicken mince and mix well. Refrigerate for 20 to 30 minutes.

Take a kulfi/round ice cream stick, oil it and your hands lightly.

Take a ball and shape it around the stick to make long fingers. Then gently remove the fingers from the stick. Place them in oiled and foiled lined tray.

Bake them in preheated oven at 200°C , with both the elements on for 22 - 25 minutes. ( do no over cook or they will turn hard).

These are soo soooo good soft and juicy!  

Labels: Chicken, Mince, Baked, Finger food, Healthy, Kebabs, Baking Bloggers

Baking Bloggers: Ground Meats & Mince

• • Baked Chicken Fingers by Sneha’s Recipe
  • Baked Mozzarella-Stuffed Meatballs by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
  • Bierocks (German Beef & Cabbage Stuffed Rolls) by Karen's Kitchen Stories
  • Hawawshi (Egyptian Meat Stuffed Bread) by Tara’s Multicultural Table
  • Pierogi Shepherd’s Pie by A Day in the Life on the Farm
  • Tater Tot Cottage Pie (Shepherd’s Pie) by Palatable Pastime
  • Turkey Zucchini Feta Meatballs by Food Lust People Love

Green Masala Potato & Egg Curry#SundayFunday

Why this is called green masala potato & egg curry when there is absolutely no green masala ground in it. The greenish color comes from the use of turmeric which renders the color to the curry. It's easy and delicious.

Ingredients
6 Eggs - boiled
3 Baby Potatoes - boiled
1 Teaspoon Turmeric powder 
1 Cup Yogurt - whisked
2 Tablespoons Tamarind juice
1 Medium Onion - sliced
1 Teaspoon Ginger Garlic paste
2 Tablespoons Heaped Oil
½ Teaspoon Sea Salt
3 Large Non Spicy Green Chillies
To Dry Roast
2 Tablespoons Heaped Roasted Dry Coconut
2 Teaspoon Cumin Seeds
1 Tablespoon Sesame seeds
1 Tablespoon Fennel seeds
6 Button Red Chillies - see my notes
For Garnish
Fresh Coriander Leaves - finely chopped

Method

In a pressure cooker add the egg, potato and salt and water enough to cover them. Take 3 whistles on medium high flame. Cool then peel the eggs, give two or three slits lightly on the eggs, cut the baby potatoes into two and keep both aside.

On the tawa dry roast the each of them separately the dry coconut, cumin, sesame seeds, fennel seeds and  

whole red chilies. Roast it well, 

cool and grind it to a fine powder.

In the yogurt mix the tamarind juice 

add all the roasted and ground spices, turmeric and mix well. Keep aside.

Heat oil and fry the onions until golden. 

Then add the ginger garlic paste for a minute .

Add ½ cup of water and immediately add the yogurt mix and fry for a minute, 

add the whole green chillies 

and the boiled potatoes. Give it a good stir, cover with a lid and let is cook on medium low flame cook stirring after every two minutes, till oil surfaces. 

Then add the boiled eggs and chopped coriander leaves mix well, adjust the gravy consistency by adding water accordingly. Again cover and cook till oil surfaces. Once the oil surfaces , switch off the flame. 

Green Masala Potato & Egg Curry is ready.

Garnish with fresh coriander and serve hot. enjoy with roti, parathas or chapatti. This is delicious!!!

My Notes

If you are not using button red chillies (these are not spicy), But using any other chillies then reduce it to 3 or 4 accordingly. Then even the color of the gravy may change.
Labels : Egg, Curry, Baby Potatoes, Main course, Indian, Sunday Funday

• For our event called Sunday Funday, wherein we share recipes our families will love to enjoy on a Sunday. Our host for this week's event is Kalyani of Sizzling Tastebuds, the theme is Gorgeous Ginger

Chukku Malli Kashayam (Dry Ginger tea) by Sizzling Tastebuds
Ginger & Lemongrass Tea by Mayuri's Jikoni
Ginger Snaps by Amy's Cooking Adventures
Ginger Spiced Pickled Figs by Palatable Pastime
Green Masala Potato & Egg Curry by Sneha's Recipe
Ground Beef Stir Fry by A Day in the Life on the Farm
Homemade Ginger Ale by Food Lust People Love
Hot and Sour Soup with Pork by Karen's Kitchen Stories
Mrs. Coughran's Southern Gingerbread with Lemon Sauce by Culinary Adventures with Camilla

Guyanese Pholourie#EattheWorld

In many Guyanese home's, whether there is a religious gathering, birthday party, or just friends gathering together, Pholourie is mostly served as an appetizer. Pholourie is a fritter made from a split pea batter that is seasoned with different spices and hot pepper. Dollops of the thick batter is dropped into hot oil and deep fried until golden brown.

Yellow Split Pea, also known as the Field Pea, Soup Pea, dry pea or Matar Dal. 

In India this dal is derived from what is known as Ghugni or white/safed vatana, which is sometimes found in split or mostly whole see pic. Had the safed vatana which I soaked overnight next morning , removed the skin and again washed it in fresh water, then soaked it again for an hour or two.

You just press each pea and they got separated, these are yellow split pea.

Serves Two
Ingredients 
1 Cup Soaked Split Yellow Peas
2 Clove Garlic
1 Red Pepper - chopped
1/8 Teaspoon Turmeric powder
¼ Teaspoon Curry powder
¼ Teaspoon Cumin seeds
½ Teaspoon Salt
½ Teaspoon Instant Yeast
¾ Cup All Purpose Flour
¼ Teaspoon Baking powder
Oil as required for deep frying

Method

Was the soaked split peas in fresh water, drain the water from the peas. In a blender, add the peas, garlic and pepper or pepper sauce, and enough water to cover the peas and blend on high till smooth.

Transfer mixture to a mixing bowl. Now add all of the dry spices and mix till they are incorporated. Add yeast and flour. Mix thoroughly.
Cover the batter and let it sit for 1-2 hours. It will double in size, give it a good mix and add the baking powder and with your hands mix it well.
Heat oil in frying pan, I would say enough oil that comes half way up your pan.

Making the pholourie is tricky, you can do this with two spoons, the traditional way of making Pholourie it this method. Grab some batter in your hand 

turn your fist upside down so that 

the batter falls through your thumb and pointer finger, here is a picture above to help guide you. 

When you drop the batter into the oil, it should immediately pop up, if it doesn't then your oil is not hot enough. Turn the Pholourie balls while they are frying so that they can evenly brown.

Continue this process until all your batter is used up.

Here they are ready to be devoured!! 

So light and fluffy!!

Serve with Sweet Mango Achar.

These are yum yum!!

Labels: Guyanese, Yellow Split Peas , Matar Dal, Deep Fried, Snacks, Yeasted, Vegan, Gluten free, Eat the World, International Cuisine, Serves Two, Pakoda

Each month Evelyne of CulturEatz invites us to visit a country and explore their foods.Check out all the wonderful Guyanese dishes prepared by fellow Eat the World members and share with #eattheworld. Click here to find out how to join and have fun exploring a country a month in the kitchen with us!  

Pandemonium Noshery: Guyanese Garlic Pork 

Kitchen Frau: Tangy Fried Tilapia in Oil & Vinegar Sauce 

A Day in the Life on the Farm: Chickpea Salad 

Amy’s Cooking Adventures: Butterflaps 

Sneha’s Recipe Guyanese Pholourie 

Magical Ingredients: Guyanese Cream Of Wheat Prasad