Make these mandarin pancakes to serve up with moo shu vegetables or other favorite Chinese dishes for tasty meals! All you need are THREE ingredients to make up these Chinese crepes for dinner. Plus, they're ready in just 30 minutes!
Put the flour in a medium bowl, add the salt, and stir together. Pour in the boiling water, mix thoroughly, and add the cold water. Stir together until you have a rough dough. Cover with a damp dish towel and set aside for 10 minutes.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured board and knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. (Dust with a little flour if the dough is sticky.) Roll into a 5-inch log, and cut into 8 pieces. Shape each piece into a 1-inch circle, and lightly brush one side with sesame oil. Do the same with another piece, then put the two oiled sides together. Press to seal. Do the same with the remaining 6 pieces. Roll out each double circle into a 6-inch pancake.
Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. When the skillet's hot, add one pancake to the pan, and cook, shaking the pan, until bubbles appear on the surface, and the pancake begins to puff, around 30 seconds. Flip the pancake and cook the other side in the same way. Remove from the heat, pull the pancakes apart, and arrange them on a plate. Repeat with the remaining pancakes. Serve immediately, or cover with a damp cloth and keep until ready to use. The pancakes reheat really well in the microwave - around 10 seconds a side, and they're good as new. Serve with Moo Shu Vegetable, or anything else.
Notes
Be sure to preheat the pan before adding the pancakes. This keeps them from sticking and also gives them a nicely browned side with great texture.
It’s important to let the dough rest before kneading. This step allows the gluten to develop and slightly relax before you knead.
Use a non-stick skillet for best results. Since we aren’t cooking the pancakes in oil this is essential.