Cong You Bing

Name: Cong You Bing
Prep time: 75 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 100 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Taiwanese
Ingredients: 300 g all-purpose flour (plus extra for dusting); 0.5 tsp salt (for the dough); 150 ml boiling water; 60 ml cold water (add a little at a time); 3 tbsp all-purpose flour (for the oil paste); 3 tbsp vegetable oil (for the oil paste); 6 stalks scallions (about 100 g, finely sliced); 0.5 tsp ground white pepper; salt (to taste, for sprinkling over the filling); 4 tbsp vegetable oil (for pan-frying)

Serves 4 · 100 min · Taiwanese

Ingredients

300 g all-purpose flour
½ tsp salt
150 ml boiling water
60 ml cold water
3 tbsp all-purpose flour
3 tbsp vegetable oil
6 stalks scallions
½ tsp ground white pepper
to taste salt
4 tbsp vegetable oil

Method

01
Scald the flour Put the three hundred grams of flour and the half teaspoon of salt in a large bowl, then pour in the boiling water while stirring with chopsticks until the flour forms dry, shaggy flakes.
02
Knead the dough Add the cold water a little at a time, then knead the dough on the counter until it is smooth and soft, about eight minutes.
03
Rest the dough Cover the bowl with a damp cloth or plastic wrap and leave the dough to rest for thirty minutes.
04
Make the oil paste Heat the three tablespoons of oil in a small pan until shimmering, then pour it over the three tablespoons of flour in a heatproof bowl and stir into a smooth, runny paste.
05
Prepare the scallions Slice the scallions finely and pat them completely dry with a clean towel.
06
Roll the sheets Divide the dough into four equal pieces and roll each one on a lightly oiled counter into a thin rectangle about twenty five by thirty five centimetres.
07
Spread the filling Brush each sheet with a quarter of the oil paste, then sprinkle over a pinch of salt, a little white pepper and a quarter of the scallions.
08
Roll and coil Roll each sheet up from the long side into a rope, stretch it gently, then coil the rope into a snail shape and tuck the end underneath.
09
Rest the coils Cover the four coils with a cloth and let them rest for fifteen minutes.
10
Flatten the pancakes Press each coil flat with your palm, then roll it gently into a round about eighteen centimetres across and half a centimetre thick.
11
Fry the first side Heat one tablespoon of oil in a flat pan over medium low heat, add one pancake and fry until golden underneath, about three minutes.
12
Fry the second side Flip the pancake and fry the other side until golden and crisp, about three minutes.
13
Fluff and serve Using two spatulas, push the edges of the hot pancake toward the centre a few times to open up the layers, then cut it into wedges and repeat the frying with the remaining pancakes.

Method

Scald the flour

Put the three hundred grams of flour and the half teaspoon of salt in a large bowl, then pour in the boiling water while stirring with chopsticks until the flour forms dry, shaggy flakes.

The water must be at a full boil. Hot water softens the gluten, which is what makes the bread tender and easy to roll thin.

Knead the dough

Add the cold water a little at a time, then knead the dough on the counter until it is smooth and soft, about eight minutes.

The dough should feel softer than bread dough and only slightly tacky. If it sticks badly to your hands, dust in a little more flour.

Knead the dough · 8 min

Rest the dough

Cover the bowl with a damp cloth or plastic wrap and leave the dough to rest for thirty minutes.

Do not skip this rest. An unrested dough springs back and tears when you try to roll it thin.

Rest the dough · 30 min

Make the oil paste

Heat the three tablespoons of oil in a small pan until shimmering, then pour it over the three tablespoons of flour in a heatproof bowl and stir into a smooth, runny paste.

The oil is hot enough when a pinch of flour dropped in sizzles straight away. Many Taiwanese stalls use lard here; it gives more flavour but the bread is then no longer vegan.

Prepare the scallions

Slice the scallions finely and pat them completely dry with a clean towel.

Wet scallions make the dough soggy and cause it to tear when you roll and coil it.

Roll the sheets

Divide the dough into four equal pieces and roll each one on a lightly oiled counter into a thin rectangle about twenty five by thirty five centimetres.

Spread the filling

Brush each sheet with a quarter of the oil paste, then sprinkle over a pinch of salt, a little white pepper and a quarter of the scallions.

Roll and coil

Roll each sheet up from the long side into a rope, stretch it gently, then coil the rope into a snail shape and tuck the end underneath.

Roll loosely enough that the scallions do not burst through, and pinch closed any scallions poking out of the ends.

Rest the coils

Cover the four coils with a cloth and let them rest for fifteen minutes.

Rest the coils · 15 min

Flatten the pancakes

Press each coil flat with your palm, then roll it gently into a round about eighteen centimetres across and half a centimetre thick.

Roll lightly. Pressing too hard squashes the layers together and the bread will not be flaky.

Fry the first side

Heat one tablespoon of oil in a flat pan over medium low heat, add one pancake and fry until golden underneath, about three minutes.

If the outside browns before three minutes, turn the heat down. The inside layers need time to cook through.

Fry the first side · 3 min

Fry the second side

Flip the pancake and fry the other side until golden and crisp, about three minutes.

Fry the second side · 3 min

Fluff and serve

Using two spatulas, push the edges of the hot pancake toward the centre a few times to open up the layers, then cut it into wedges and repeat the frying with the remaining pancakes.

Serve hot on its own, or with soy paste or chilli sauce for dipping. Breakfast stalls often fry an egg onto one side for a heartier version.

Cong You Bing

Ingredients

Method

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