Cong You Bing (Flaky Scallion Pancake)

Name: Cong You Bing (Flaky Scallion Pancake)
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 18 min
Total time: 48 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients: all-purpose flour 300 g; water 170 ml; scallion 4 ea; salt 1 tsp; sesame oil 2 tbsp; cooking oil 2 tbsp

Quick answer

Total time: 48 min
Level: Medium
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients: 6

About this dish

Hot-water dough is rolled thin, brushed with sesame oil, salted and scattered with scallion, then rolled into a log, coiled like a snail shell and pressed flat.

The oil-and-roll step happens only once, yet when the pancake comes out of a medium-hot pan and is torn open, it separates into thin layers, with edges that crackle.

Ingredients

servings

IngredientAmount

scallion4 ea

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Instructions

6 steps

1

Pour 170 ml boiling water into 300 g all-purpose flour little by little while stirring with chopsticks.

Let the mixture cool until comfortable to handle before kneading by hand. Knead by hand for 8 to 10 minutes, until the dough looks smooth and feels only lightly tacky.
2

Gather the dough into a round, place it in a bowl, and cover it with a damp cloth.

Rest it at room temperature for 20 minutes so the gluten relaxes and the dough will not shrink while rolling.
3

Roll the rested dough gently to about 2 mm thick, without pressing so hard that the layers later become dense.

Brush with 2 tablespoons sesame oil, then scatter 1 teaspoon salt and 4 chopped scallions evenly over the surface.
4

Roll the sheet tightly into a log, then coil it into a snail shape to trap the oil and scallions between layers.

Press the end closed and flatten first with your palm so the filling does not spill out.
5

Use a rolling pin to flatten the coil gently to about 1 cm thick.

If the dough springs back, rest it for 5 more minutes, then continue lightly so the flaky layers are not crushed.
6

Heat 2 tablespoons cooking oil in a pan over medium heat, then add the pancake.

Cook 3 to 4 minutes per side, pressing gently, until both sides are golden and the edges feel crisp before slicing and serving.

Official cooking and safety guidance

Public-agency cooking and food safety guidance that applies to this recipe.

Official cooking and safety guidance

Storage and reheating

Refrigerate leftovers in shallow containers within 2 hours and use them within 3 to 4 days. Reheat the center to 74°C.

Source: USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service. Leftovers and Food Safety

Sources checked 2026-08-03

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