Crispy Savory Chinese Pancakes (咸薄撑) — A Taste of Childhood

-

 

There’s something special about recipes that hold memories. Chinese Savory pancakes  (咸薄撑) has always been one of those dishes for me.

I still remember when I was young. My late mom would make these savory pancakes for breakfast or  afternoon snack.  The gentle sizzling sound from the pan, the warm aroma filling the kitchen… it was simple, but it meant everything.


Back then, she always used plain flour. As I continued making it over the years, I started experimenting and realized how different flours create completely different textures.

Pancakes made with glutinous rice flour are crispy when hot, with a slightly chewy bite. But this version, made mainly with rice flour, stays light and crispy even after cooling. Perfect for making ahead or enjoying as a snack anytime.

Full written steps, tips and exact measurements are below. Keep scrolling!!

 


INGREDIENTS

200g rice flour

20g plain flour

280g water

1 pair Chinese sausage, diced

Some chopped chives or spring onions

30g dried shrimp, softened

1 tsp salt

Some cooking oil for frying the pancakes

 

METHOD

1. In a mixing bowl, combine the rice flour, plain flour, a pinch of salt,  blending them well.

2. Slowly add in water into the dry ingredients, stir and mix until it form a smooth, thin and liquid batter without any lumps.

3. Gently fold in the diced Chinese sausage, the soften and chopped dried shrimp, and the  chives. Stir and mix until all the ingredients are all well combine.

4. Heat up 2 table spoons of oil in a non-stick pan over a medium flame. Pour a slender of the batter onto the pan, allowed  it to spread with the help of the bottom of the ladle to  ensure an uniformity in thickness for even cooking.

5. Wait until the bottom turns golden and crispy, then flip it over. Continue cooking until the other side reaches the same level of crispiness.

 

Tips for the Best Texture

1. Thin batter for crispier pancakes.

2. Don’t rush the heat, medium heat gives the best golden crust.

3. Rice flour version stays crispy even when cooled.

4. Prefer chewy + crispy? Swap part of the rice flour with glutinous rice flour.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Classic Egg Tarts

-
Image
  Few things are more comforting than a freshly baked egg tart. With its buttery crust and silky-smooth custard filling, this classic treat has been a favorite in many bakeries and dim sum restaurants for generations. Growing up, egg tarts were always one of those irresistible pastries displayed behind the glass counter of traditional bakeries. The golden custard gently jiggles when you pick it up, and the flaky crust shatters slightly with the first bite. It’s simple, yet incredibly satisfying. Making egg tarts at home may sound intimidating, but it’s actually quite manageable. Once you get the custard mixture right and bake it at the correct temperature, you’ll be rewarded with beautiful tarts that taste just like the ones from the bakery. When it fresh out of the oven, these egg tarts have a delicate custard filling and a crisp crust that pair perfectly with a cup of tea or coffee. Homemade egg tarts may look simple, but they carry the comforting taste of traditional baker...
Read more

Baked Cassava or Tapioca Cake （烤木薯糕）

-
Image
Cassava or tapioca cake can be prepared in several methods, including baking, steaming and wrapping in banana leaves. It can be made with or without eggs and with or without butter. Today, I am going to share how to bake cassava or tapioca cake. Tapioca cake is very easy to make, whether to steam or to bake. The only tedious part is grating. I used to grate them into fine silk manually. But now I blend them with Thermomix to paste form. If you are using a regular blender, add a little water to the blender to blend it together. This cassava cake has a beautiful burnt skin on top and dense golden color inside. My daughter thought it was burnt cheesecake. The texture is soft but firm and not too sticky compared to the steam type. Every bite taste of cassava, coconut milk and the burnt aroma. Not overly sweet and greasy. If using a blender, cut the tapioca into smaller chunks, then carefully cut out the tough, fibrous core from the middle of each piece using a knife.   Once the t...
Read more

Dong Po Rou （东坡肉）

-
Image
Dong Po Rou （东坡肉） – wine braised pork belly. It’s rich and savoury, tender that melts into your mouth. Traditionally, the pork belly is pan-fried before being braised or stewed for one to one and a half hours on low heat. Some of the recipes even call for steaming for an additional half an hour after stewing. It is very time-consuming. But as you are aware, I enjoy making recipes simpler without compromising the taste. You, too, I'm sure. Therefore, I skipped the pan-frying step and proceeded directly to braising the pork after blanching it, and then continued to cook with a pressure cooker. Don't worry; the dish's flavour remains unaffected. I'm hoping this simplified method may come in handy for your regular cooking. Trim off the edges of the pork and cut it into 3x3 cubes. Tie cooking twine around each cube. This will assist the cubes in keeping their form while cooking. If the pork that you bought is at the mid portion of the belly is ideal, there is a nice bala...
Read more