This flatbread or pancake is inspired by the ginger scallion sauce that is paired with Chinese poached chicken. The most popular being Hainan chicken. It is very simple oil based sauce made of 4 ingredients: ginger, scallion, oil and salt, and is very easy and quick to prepare.
The best way to infused the ginger scallion sauce in a flatbread, I thought, was in the form of a paratha. Paratha is an ultra layered, rich flatbread that can be found in name regions l ike northern India, Malaysia and Singapore. My first time trying paratha is at a Singaporean restaurant where it was an appetizer served with a side of curry. I was blown away at the tenderness, flakiness and richness of the flatbread that for some time I had my freezer stocked with frozen ones that I picked up my local 99 Ranch.
The Chinese style scallion pancakes, are similar to paratha in that it is made with many layers. The percentage of fat in the pancake, however, is much lower, hence the crisper, harder and chewier texture. If you have tried my Sourdough Discard Cong You Bing: Scallion Pancakes or Sourdough Chinese Bacon & Chive Jian Bing, you would be familiar. I leverage the same process in making scallion pancakes to make paratha. The differences is that the hydration of this paratha version is higher, oil is added into the dough, and the dough is stretched out thinner when creating the layers. To surface the layers, when the paratha are done cooking, but are still hot, using a kitchen towel or two spatula, squish the pancake together to “fluff” it up– like a pillow.
Check out this Instagram Reel on the process!
Tips for success
- Use hot water when making the dough. The hot water relaxes and soften the dough.
- Let the dough rest, ~1hr, after mixing to allow it to fully hydrate. This will help with stretching it out later.
- Oil your work surface with ginger scallion oil before transferring the dough to it and working it with. This will prevent sticking.
- Stretch out the dough out into a very thin sheet. Take the dough from the bottom with your fingers and gently pull to stretch it. It is fine if the dough tears.
- Generously and evenly rub the ginger scallion oil on top. This creates the layers.
- After rolling up the dough, gently stretch it into a long rope before curling it up. This will tighten the rope, reducing trapped air, as well as allow you to create more coils when curling it up, hence more layers.
- After the flatbread finishes cooking, while it is still hot, squish the pancake together to “fluff” it up– like a pillow. You can use two spatulas, or a kitchen towel (to prevent burning your hands)
Looking for more scallion flatbread recipes?
- Soft & Toasty Scallion Rotilla (Flatbread)
- Sourdough Discard Pajeon (Korean Scallion Pancake)
- Sourdough Chinese Bacon & Chive Pancake
- Sourdough Discard Jian Bing: Scallion Egg Crepe Roll
Ginger Scallion Paratha
Ingredients
Ginger Scallion Oil
- 10 g scallions minced
- 10 g ginger minced
- 30 g oil
- 1/4 tsp salt
Normal Dough
- 75 g flour
- 15 g ginger scallion oil
- 50 g hot water
Sourdough Discard Dough
- 60 g flour
- 15 g ginger scallion oil
- 30 g sourdough discard
- 35 g hot water
Instructions
Make the scallion ginger oil
- Mince scallions and very finely mince ginger and place it bowl that can width stand heat (ex: ceramic). Add salt.
- In a small skillet or sauce pan, heat up oil until it is hot and just about to smoke. Very carefully pour the hot oil into the bowl with with the ginger and scallion. The oil will bubble and sizzle when it make contact. Stir the mixture and set aside.
Make the dough
- Combine together flour, ginger scallion oil and sourdough discard. Mix until a coarse crumbly mixture forms. Slowly pour in hot water, mixing to incorporate. You should have a pretty wet dough. Cover and let rest for 1 hour.
- Spoon some ginger and scallion oil onto your work surface and oil your hands. Transfer the rested dough to your work surface. Press down on the dough to flatten and then stretch the dough out into a thin sheet. It is okay if the dough starts breaking on some part. Add a tablespoon of some scallion ginger oil on top and rub it in.
- Take the dough from one end and roll it up. Then spiral the dough and tuck the end underneath. Using your fingers, flatten and stretch out the dough into a disk about 1/4" thick or thinner, depending on your preference.
- Lightly oil and heat up a non-stick skillet on high heat. Once hot, transfer the dough to the skillet and cook until the bottom has browned and the top starts to set. Flip and cook the other side. Transfer to a cutting board or plate and while it paratha is still hot, using a kitchen towel or two spatulas, squish the dough together to form layers– like fluffing a pillow. Eat as is or dipped in any saucy foods.
