These are delicious pancakes and easy to make. They can be served as part of a dim sum lunch or as sweet dish after or during dinner. These are a variation, if you will, on the classic Chinese scallion pancake. First you make the pancake dough, these can be used for the scallion version so you can freeze them for later. Then add the red bean paste, fold, sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve.
Why use hot water with the flour? The boiling water will denature some of the gluten and gliadin proteins in the flour. Since the gluten is denatured, a gluten network cannot form successfully. The dough will still stretch, but not as much. This “solves” the problem of the dough shrinking back when rolled out. It is easy to roll this type of dough much thinner, than is not using the hot water. Additionally the boiling water will result in a sweeter dough due to changes in the flour starch.
Red Bean Paste Pancakes (Hong dao guo ping)
Ingredients
- 4 cups King Arthur All-Purpose Flour
- ½ tsp Sea salt
- 1¼ cups boiling water
- 1 tsp vegetable or peanut oil
- 2+ tbsp vegetable or peanut oil for frying
- Powdered sugar
Instructions
- Place the flour and salt in a large mixing bowl and whisk well.
- Pour in the boiling water and begin mixing. Then add the oil. You can use a Danish Dough Whisk, which works well in my opinion.
- Once you have a firm and well mixed dough, cover and let this stand for a good 30 minutes. Don't refrigerate, just let it stand covered on the counter.
- Pour out the dough on a clean, flat floured surface and knead. You want a smooth dough ball.
- Using a pasta maker roll out the dough to about ⅛ in thickness. This is a setting of 4 on my pasta maker. Additionally, the rollers are just under 6 inches, so you can easily use the pasta maker for these pancakes.
- Using a 6 inch cookie cutter, plate, or something with this dimension, cut 6 inch round circles of dough.
- Using a crepe pan fry the pancakes to just before they deeply brown. You want a little browning, but you will be frying these again and don't want to burn the pancake. Set aside.
- Using an offset spatula spread the red bean paste over the circle.
- Fold the pancake by thirds. The first third on top of the red bean paste, the second third on top of the first. It will be shapped like a tortilla.
- Using a fry pan, add the frying oil and heat over medium low until simmering.
- Fry the pancake until golden brown on both sides.
- Remove and cut the "tortilla" into smaller pieces, square shapes (see picture).
- Place ona serving plate and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Serve.
