Published on
March 30, 2008 in
recipes.
Scallion pancakes makes an awesome appetizer or snack. Well, the way I make them… they can probably a whole meal. Scallion pancakes are also known as green onion pie or Chinese pizza. It’s not really a pancake, a pie, or a pizza. It’s more like a Chinese flat bread made with dough, oil, and green onions. The literal translation is “green onion oil cake” or something along those lines.
They are fun to order at selected Chinese restaurants and cafes. Luckily, you can also enjoy it at the comfort of your own home with little effort. They are available in frozen packages at the local Asian supermarket. This is the one I usually buy.
The pancakes are separated with layers of plastic wrap, which makes it easy to peel. It’s a very simple process.
Basic directions:
- Heat a large frying pan with some oil. (I like to use cooking spray instead)
- Place the pancake into the pan.
- Cook for a few minutes and then flip it over.
- Cook until both sides are slightly golden brown.
The scallion pancake is ready in a matter of minutes!!! Cut into 6-8 slices.
The pancakes can be served with any of these dipping sauces:
- light soy sauce
- citrus soy sauce
- chilli sauce
- dumpling sauce
- Vietnamese fish dipping sauce (lemon juice, fish sauce, sugar, and water)
- etc.
If preferred, you can also coat the scallion pancake with a layer of egg before frying it on the pan.
LookyTasty’s fancy looking scallion pancake:
This is how I usually make my scallion pancakes at home. Instead of cutting it into slices, I turn it into a fancy looking roll. Before cooking the frozen scallion pancake, I first pour a beaten egg into the pan and fry it lightly. Before the egg fully cooks, I place the scallion pancake over the egg. Once it reaches a nice golden brown, I transport the cooked scallion pancake over to a plate. Then, I sprinkle dried shredded pork over the egg side of the pancake roll it up.
These pancake rolls can be very filling. I’m often satisfied with just half of the roll. I like making them at home. The restaurants serve them way too oily. I plan on learning how to make these from scratch one day. Possibly find a more healthy or calorie friendly version. For now, these frozen packaged scallion pancakes will do. Enjoy!
Here’s a recipe for an awesome tea. It also does miracles when you have a cold, flu, or sore throat. The ginger has a spicy and invigorating taste that’s very soothing for the throat. This tea can be served hot or cold. This makes about 4-5 servings. (I know, many people find the taste of ginger to be too strong and are simply not very fond of it. The name Ginger Tea scares these people off. However, the Pear in the middle helps make it a little bit more tolerable. I personally love ginger, so I don’t mind.)
Ingredients:
- 4-6 cups of water
- 2 inch piece of fresh ginger root
- 2 pears (I used Anjou pears in this one. Others will work fine as well.)
- lemon juice
- honey, to taste
Directions:
- Peel the ginger root and chop it up into thin strips. (I usually peel the ginger, but it’s not necessary. If you choose to skip the peeling, just wash it really well.) Set aside.
- Peel the pears and cut it into quarters or eighths. Discard the centers.
- Boil about 4 cups of water in a pot. While the water starts to heat, add the chopped ginger.
- Once the water reaches a boil, add the pears into the pot. Sprinkle some lemon juice. Lower the heat to medium, and cover the pot.
- Let it simmer for 15-20 minutes. (Add honey now if desired.) When it is ready, the pears will be soft and tender.
Serve in a cup/mini bowl. If you like, you can strain the tea. I personally prefer ginger pieces in my tea. I also enjoy munching away the pear.
The pear and lemon juice help to slightly balance the strong taste of ginger. The natural sugars from the pear help sweeten the tea. Honey can also be used to adjust the taste as well. I avoid using sugar or other sweeteners for this tea, because I feel it takes away from the therapeutic essence of the tea.
This ginger pear tea when served hot is perfect for those cold winter days. It instantly warms up the whole body and leaves you feeling extra cozy. I also enjoy this drink during the summer days. Stick it into the refrigerator and it becomes an awesome revitalizing beverage. The spicy ginger taste, the sweet pear taste, and the honey leaves my throat jumping in joy!
I was in Chinatown, New York City the other day and in the mood for some Vietnamese Subs! Therefore, I went to the usual Paris Sandwiches on Mott Street in hopes of treating myself to the Regular Pork Sub or their delicious Vegetarian Sub. I walked inside and as I gazed at their colorful menu high up against the wall, I spark of disappointment came across. They had added like 50 cents to every item on their Sub menu. Their subs were now over $4.00 each. No more bargain “Chinatown” food!
So instead of giving in to their slight price hike, I decided to go seek alternatives for Vietnamese Subs in Chinatown.
About a block up from Paris Sandwiches, I came across a hidden sandwich shop. Its appearance can be quite deceiving. This sandwich shop is hidden in the back of a jewelry store.
There, I found Banh Mi Saigon Bakery.
This bakery was very busy. Many customers called ahead and came in to pick up their sandwiches. Others waited for their orders to be prepared on site. There’s really no place to sit and dine. There are some benches on the side against the wall. The prices for their sandwiches ranged from $3.75 to $4.50 depending on the fillings.
I ordered the Buddha’s Sub, which cost $4.50. It was a little pricey, but the sandwich was kind of HUGE. The bread was large and stuffed full. The Buddha’s Sub was filled with tofu, mushrooms, and baby corn (like the Buddha’s Delight dish). It’s enormous!
Such a great deal! The subs are so humongous, it’s so worth it! Banh Mi Saigon is a great place for these super delicious Vietnamese Subs! (For people who like it spicy, don’t forget slices of those hot peppers!) These subs are great to bring home to eat!
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