Scallion pancakes, or cong you bing in Chinese, are savory unleavened flatbreads that can be both an informal street food and a restaurant dish. It’s made with dough, which is drier than a traditional pancake batter, which makes it crispier than a breakfast pancake. Variations of scallion pancakes can be found in Vietnam, Japan, Cambodia and Korea.

Recipe: Millet-Scallion Pancakes

Source: Bon Appetit magazine, January 2014

Get the recipe here!

Modifications, Testing and Recommendations: The original recipe calls for millet, but it can also be made with other grains like quinoa or brown rice – I made these with white quinoa because it’s fluffier than red or black quinoa, and has a milder flavor. These scallion pancakes are less chewy than the ones I usually find in Chinese restaurants, and should be eaten with a fork or chopsticks. I used a cast iron skillet to get the pancakes nice and crispy around the edges. 

If you want smaller pancakes, use 1/8-cup of batter. I made several that were as large as 1/2-cup each but they were more delicate and I had to be careful when flipping them over in the pan because the eggs and cornstarch are the only binding agents. The dipping sauce (pictured below) was delicious and could also be used as a salad dressing or to add flavor to other grain dishes.