Asian Brunch Pancake Recipes

PAN-FRIED CHINESE PANCAKES

Steps:

• Dissolve salt in warm water, and mix in 1 cup of flour to make a soft dough. Turn the dough out onto a well-floured work surface, and knead until slightly springy, about 5 minutes. If the dough is sticky, knead in 1/4 teaspoon of vegetable oil. Divide the dough into 8 equal-size pieces, and keep the pieces covered with a cloth.
• In a bowl, mix 1/4 cup of flour with 1 tablespoon vegetable oil to make a mixture like fine crumbs.
• On a floured work surface, roll a piece of dough out into a thin square about 5x7 inches in size, brush the dough with toasted sesame oil, and sprinkle lightly with about 1 1/2 teaspoon of the flour-oil mixture. Sprinkle about 1 tablespoon of chopped green onion onto the dough, and spread the onion out evenly. Starting with a long end, roll the dough up into a rope shape, and pinch the seam and the ends closed. Roll the rope shape into a flat spiral, and press lightly with your hands to compact the spiral and keep it from unrolling.
• Place the spiral down onto the floured work surface, and gently roll it out into a pancake with the onions folded inside, turning the pancake over often as you roll it out. Roll gently and turn often to avoid making holes in the pancakes. Finished pancakes should be about 5 inches in diameter. Repeat with the rest of the dough pieces, making 8 onion pancakes.
• Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat, and brush with vegetable oil. Pan-fry each pancake in the hot skillet until golden brown on both sides, about 5 minutes per side. Cut into wedges and serve warm.

QUICK CHINESE SCALLION PANCAKES (VEGAN)

Steps:

• In a large bowl, mix together the flour, water, sesame oil and salt using a whisk until smooth. Set aside.
• In the meantime, wash and finely chop the scallions, discarding the roots and the tips of the green tops. Using your fingers, quickly break apart the chopped scallions to separate out the layers. Mix into the batter.
• Heat about 2 teaspoons of oil in large frying pan (I use one that is 10-inch / 25-cm) on medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, swirl the oil around so it coats the pan. Quickly ladle on the batter in the shape of a ring, then immediately use a spatula to spread the batter to fill the ring, and to spread the batter outward to make the pancake into a circle (I use about 3/4 cup of batter for each pancake on a 10-inch pan). The batter will cook quickly on the hot pan, so just spread it around as much as you can. Cook the pancake for about 4 minutes, periodically lifting the pancake up to check if the bottom has browned. When the scallion pancake has browned on the bottom, lift the pancake up with a spatula, quickly add a bit more oil to the pan, and flip the pancake. Cook for another 4-5 minutes until the bottom is browned. Remove from heat and set on a oil absorbing paper (or paper towel) to remove the excess oil. Repeat with the remaining batter. Using 2 frying pans simultaneously will speed up the cooking process.
• Serve immediately.

PORK BELLY & EGG PANCAKE (JI DAN BING)

Steps:

• For the pancake dough: Combine the flour, water, sesame oil and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a mixing bowl and mix with a rubber spatula until a soft and sticky dough forms. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and elastic but still sticky. Wrap in plastic and let rest at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.
• While the dough rests, prepare the Pork Belly (recipe follows) and Chili Vinegar (recipe follows).
• When the dough has rested, divide into quarters. Place one piece on a lightly floured surface and keep the rest covered with plastic. Roll out until you have a paper-thin 10- to 12-inch circle. Allowing the dough to stick a little to the surface while you roll helps to stretch the dough as thin as possible. This part is a little tricky since the dough is soft and sticky but be patient and don't use too much flour. Repeat with the rest of the dough.
• To assemble: Heat a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Drizzle about 1 teaspoon of oil, swirl it around to coat, and allow to get hot and shimmery. Gently lay the pancake in the oil. Crack an egg directly onto the pancake. Use the back of a spoon to gently break the yolk, very gently scramble, and then spread it all over the pancake. Sprinkle on a handful of scallions and a handful of the pork belly. Season with salt and black pepper and then press down slightly so the scallions and pork belly stick to the egg. Continue to cook until the egg is mostly set and the underside of the pancake has golden brown spots. Using a spatula, carefully flip and cook, egg side down, for about 30 seconds, or until the egg is completely set and has some brown spots. The pork will also render out some fat and get sizzly. Flip the pancake back over and allow the pancake to get nice and crisp, 30 seconds. Slide the pancake onto a cutting board. Squeeze some mayonnaise on top and a drizzle of sambal, if using. Roll up and slice in half. Repeat to make 3 more pancakes. Serve with Chili Vinegar (see recipe below) for dipping.
• *Alternatively, this recipe can be made with 16 slices of roughly chopped, cooked, thick-cut bacon by eliminating the braise in the pressure cooker. Simply cook the bacon to desired doneness and skip to the step of applying the bacon onto the egg as it cooks in the pan on the pancake. To serve, drizzle with hoisin sauce, mayo and sambal. Serve with the chili vinegar for dipping.
• Sprinkle the pork belly on all sides with black pepper.
• Into the insert-pot of a pressure cooker add the soy sauce, vinegar, water and hoisin sauce and whisk to combine. Place the pork belly in the pot, skin side up (it should be mostly submerged but if the skin peeks out a little it's fine). Add the ginger, garlic and chili pepper, if using. Seal with the lid, bring to HIGH pressure and cook for 30 minutes. Carefully release the pressure, away from your face, allowing all the steam to dissipate before opening the lid. Using tongs, remove the belly to a cooling rack set over a sheet pan to both cool slightly and drain of excess braising liquid. Alternatively, the pork belly can be braised in a Dutch oven at 350 degrees F for about 2 hours, covered. Discard the braising liquid. Roughly chop the pork belly into bite-size pieces.
• Heat the oil in a large non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Add the chopped pork to the pan and fry for 4 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until crispy. Set aside.
• Alternatively, the pork belly can be braised in a Dutch oven at 350 degrees F for about 2 hours, covered. Discard the braising liquid. Roughly chop the pork belly into bite-size pieces.
• Combine all the ingredients into a small mixing bowl. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

FLUFFY JAPANESE PANCAKES

Steps:

• Whisk together the flour, confectioners' sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl.
• Whisk together the milk, melted butter, vanilla and egg yolk in a medium bowl until combined.
• Beat the egg whites and cream of tartar in another large bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form, about 2 minutes.
• Stir the milk mixture into the flour mixture until just combined (it's OK if there are a few lumps). Stir one-third of the beaten egg whites into the flour-milk mixture. Then gently fold in the remaining egg whites until just combined (take care not to overmix).
• Lightly spray the inside of four 3-inch-wide-by-2 1/2-inch-high ring molds with nonstick cooking spray
• Coat a large nonstick skillet with nonstick cooking spray and heat over medium-low heat. Put the prepared ring molds in the middle of the skillet and fill each with 1/2 cup of batter (it should fill each ring mold about halfway). Cover the skillet with the lid and cook until the batter rises to the tops of the ring molds and is golden on the bottom, about 5 minutes. Release the bottom of the pancakes with a spatula. Grasp the sides of the ring molds with tongs to stabilize them and then carefully flip. Cover and cook until golden on the other side, about 5 minutes more. Transfer to a plate and remove the mold. Serve with butter and maple syrup. The pancakes should be eaten before they deflate.
• Lightly spray the ring molds and coat the skillet with nonstick cooking spray and repeat the cooking method with the remaining batter.

FLUFFY JAPANESE PANCAKES

Steps:

• Beat egg whites in a glass, metal, or ceramic bowl until stiff peaks form.
• Butter enough 3 1/2-inch ring molds to fill your frying pan. Place molds in the pan over low heat. Cover.
• Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, and baking soda in a bowl.
• Combine buttermilk, egg yolks, butter, and vanilla extract in a separate bowl. Add the flour mixture and stir until batter is fairly smooth.
• Fold egg whites into the batter until combined. Small bits of egg whites still showing is ok.
• Pour about 1/2 cup of batter into each mold and cover the pan. Cook until bubbles start forming at the top, about 5 minutes. Flip pancakes in their molds and cook until set, 3 to 4 minutes more.

FLUFFY JAPANESE PANCAKES

Steps:

• Sift the flour and baking powder into a bowl and add the sugar. Make a well in the centre and add the eggs and oil. Stir them into the flour then gradually add the milk and use a whisk to beat the liquid in. You can also put the lot in a blender and blitz it. Stir in the vanilla. This batter is best used quickly.
• Put a non-stick pan over a low heat and put one or two non-stick crumpet rings (about 3.5 cm high) in the pan. Spray (or brush) the pan lightly with oil and the inside of the rings too. Fill them no more than ¾ full with batter then cover the pan with a lid and cook the pancakes for about 10 mins on a very low heat. By this time the top of the pancake should be covered in little bubbles and look dry around the edges.
• Very carefully turn the pancakes over. You can do this by lifting each pancake in its ring onto the lid and then inverting the pan over them before turning the whole thing back over and taking off the lid. Cook for another 1-2 mins. Keep warm while you use up the rest of the batter. Stack and serve with your favourite toppings.

KUEH PISANG OR CHINESE BANANA AND CINNAMON PANCAKES

Steps:

• In large bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon & baking powder.
• Make well in center & add HALF the milk & HALF the eggs, beating until batter is smooth. Then add remaining milk & eggs, stirring thoroughly.
• In separate bowl, mash bananas with salt & sugar.
• Stir banana mixture into batter.
• Sprinkle waxed or parchment paper with powdered sugar & set aside.
• Heat some oil in skillet over high heat, then drain off any excess oil & drop in enough batter to make a pancake 5-7 inches in diameter.
• Cook on each side until golden, working in batches if needed.
• When a pancake is done, place on sugared parchment paper & sprinkle with extra cinnamon & powdered sugar. Add a little lemon juice to each pancake, then fold into quarters & serve hot.