Green Onion Cakes

Photo: flickr user ralph and jenny

Ingredients

cups flour

1 1/4 cups boiling water

1/4 cup solid vegetable shortening

(or cooking oil)

2 teaspoons sesame oil

1 cup chopped green onions

2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly-ground white pepper

Cooking oil as needed

1/2 cup chicken broth

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 teaspoons chopped green onion

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 teaspoon chili sauce

Preparation

Place flour in a bowl. Add boiling water, stirring with chopsticks or a fork until dough is evenly moistened. On a lightly floured board, knead dough until smooth and satiny, about 5 minutes. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes.

Combine dipping sauce ingredients in a bowl.

On a lightly floured board, roll dough into a cylinder; cut into 12 equal portions. Roll a portion of dough into an 8-inch circle about 1/8-inch thick; keep remaining dough covered to prevent drying. Brush with a thin film of shortening. Sprinkle with a small portion of sesame oil, green onions, salt, and pepper. Roll dough into a cylinder and coil dough into a round patty; tuck end of dough underneath. Roll again to make an 8-inch circle about 1/8-inch thick.

Place a wide frying pan over medium heat until hot. Add 2 tablespoons cooking oil, swirling to coat sides. Add 1 cake and cook, turning once, until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Remove and drain on paper towels. Repeat with remaining cakes, adding more cooking oil as needed. Cut cakes into wedges. Serve hot with dipping sauce.

This recipe yields 12 servings.

Comments: These unleavened fried breads are thin and flat, crisp outside, moist and chewy inside, and bursting with onion flavor. I like to serve them the traditional way, as street vendors in Beijing do: sliced into wedges and eaten out of hand, plain or with a spicy chili-garlic dipping sauce.