Mandarin Pancakes


These thin pancakes are used to wrap up the Mu-shu Pork filling, and the recipe can be doubled easily. After cooking, the pancakes may be refrigerated for three to four days or even frozen until ready to serve. Steam them to reheat.

Makes about 30ish

Ingredients

  • 4.5 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
  • 1.5 cups boiling water
  • 2 Tbs. toasted sesame oil

Preparation

  1. In a bowl, mix the flour and the boiling water with chopsticks or a wooden spoon to combine. Turn the shaggy dough onto a lightly floured board, gather it into a heap, and knead it until smooth, about 10 min. Cover with a towel and let it rest for about 15-30 min.
  2. Give the shaggy water-and-flour dough a quick knead to smooth it out. On a lightly floured surface roll the dough out into a circle about 1/4 thick.
  3. With a 2 1/2 inch cookie cutter or glass cut as many circles as possible. Roll the scraps up into a ball and repeat until you make as many as possible.
  4. Brush the top of half of the rounds generously with sesame oil. Lay one un-oiled round on top of another oiled round sides together and flatten the pair together with the heel of your hand. Continue until you have 6 pairs.
  5. With a floured rolling pin, roll each pair into a thin pancake about 7 inches in diameter, flipping the pancake over now and again to roll evenly on both sides. Stack the pancakes as you finish rolling them.
  6. In an ungreased cast-iron skillet or nonstick pan over medium-high heat, cook the pancakes one at a time. Heat one side until it becomes less opaque and starts to bubble slightly, and just a few brown spots appear, about 1 min. Flip it over and cook it until a few light brown spots appear on the other side, about 1 minute per side.
  7. As each pancake is done gently separate the halves and stack on a plate. Wrap them in foil to keep them warm and prevent drying. If not using right away, refrigerate until ready to use. Reheat in foil in an oven at 350 degrees for 10 min.