BING
CHINA
Uighur Chinese are Muslims, and their food reflects the restrictions of their religion and also the fact that they are Turkic people with a diet that includes wheat products such as noodles, pancakes, and bread. These pancakes have been adopted by the wider Chinese population and you find them on menus of Chinese restaurants that are not owned by Muslims. I had them first in a wonderful Muslim Chinese restaurant in Milpitas, California, where I was taken by Carolyn Phillips, the author of the wonderful All Under Heaven, and where I also tried hand-shaved noodles for the first time. I would have given a recipe for those here if they weren’t so difficult to make—unless you have been making them forever.
MAKES 6 INDIVIDUAL PANCAKES
FOR THE DOUGH
2¼ cups (270 g) unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for kneading and shaping
1¼ cups (150 g) cake flour
Vegetable oil, for greasing the bowl
FOR THE FILLING
1 teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon ground toasted Sichuan peppercorns (optional)
¼ cup (60 g) chicken fat or melted ghee
3 tablespoons peanut oil or vegetable oil
4 scallions, very finely chopped (about ⅔ cup)
TO FINISH
Vegetable oil, for frying
1. To make the dough: Mix the flours in a bowl. Measure out ½ cup (60 g) of the flour mixture and set aside. Make a well in the center of the flour left in the bowl. Gradually add 1¼ cups (310 ml) warm water to the well, bringing in the flour as you go along until you have a rough ball of dough.
2. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface. Dust both hands with a little flour and gently knead the dough for 3 minutes. Shape the dough into a ball, invert the bowl over it, and let rest for 15 minutes. Knead for 3 more minutes, or until the dough is very soft but manageable. Brush a clean bowl with a little oil and place the dough in the bowl. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel and let the dough rest for 20 to 30 minutes.
3. To make the filling: Put the reserved ½ cup (60 g) flour mixture in a bowl. Add the salt, Sichuan peppercorns (if using), chicken fat, and oil and mix well. Keep the scallions next to the flour mixture.
4. To shape the pancakes: Divide the dough into 6 equal portions and roll each portion into a smooth ball. Take one ball—keep the others covered so that they do not dry out—and with a Chinese or regular rolling pin, roll out the ball into a strip, as thin as you can without tearing the dough, about 18 inches (45 cm) long. Smear one-sixth of the flour mixture over the strip and sprinkle one-sixth of the scallions along the long side of the strip. Roll up the strip over the scallions to form a log, then pull this log gently to stretch it to 24 inches (60 cm) long. Coil the log into a round, a little like a cinnamon roll. Shape the rest of the dough in the same way until you have 6 coiled rounds. Roll out each coiled round until it is 8 inches (20 cm) in diameter. Traditionally these are made thicker but I like them thin and crisp.
5. To finish: Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and brush the bottom with a little oil. As soon as the oil is hot, place a pancake in the pan. Cook until the bottom is golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip, cover, and cook until the second side turns golden too. Remove to a plate lined with paper towels and keep the bread warm in a 250°F (120°C) oven for up to 20 minutes. Serve warm.