The spring pancake, also known as the lotus leaf pancake or simply the thin pancake, is a very thin baked flour pancake that is a traditional delicacy of the Han nationality in China. The ingredients are simple, and the method of making spring pancakes is very convenient. They have a soft and chewy texture, and the way to eat them can be customized according to your preference, with vegetables added as you like. They can be served as a main dish or stir-fried.
Introduction to Making Spring Pancakes
Ingredients Needed
300 grams of wheat flour, 150 grams of water.
Steps for Preparation
1. Pour boiling water over the flour and knead into a smooth dough.
2. Wrap the prepared dough in cling film and let it rest for half an hour before kneading it into a long strip and cutting it into small portions.
3. Take one strip, flatten it, coat each piece with a layer of oil, stack two pieces together, and roll them out thinly and large.
4. Place the prepared dough sheets in a pot and steam on high heat for 10 minutes; once cooled, they can be peeled off layer by layer.
Tips
1. Making spring pancakes is straightforward, but when kneading the dough, add water little by little to avoid making the mixture too runny.
2. Once the spring pancakes are made, they can be paired with other ingredients for eating.
Tricks for Making Spring Pancakes
Ingredients Needed
200 grams of flour, 1 teaspoon of glutinous rice flour, boiling water, carrots, potatoes, bamboo shoots, red cabbage, cooking oil, vinegar, salt.
Steps for Preparation
1. In 200 grams of flour, add 1 teaspoon of glutinous rice flour and slowly mix in 120 grams of hot water.
2. Stir the flour evenly with chopsticks, knead it into a smooth dough, and let it rest for 20 minutes.
3. Divide the dough into small portions of about 20 grams each and shape them into balls.
4. Flatten one ball, coat another ball with cooking oil, place it on top of the flattened ball, and press it flat as well.
5. Roll out the dough balls into thin sheets and place them on a plate coated with oil.
6. Continue this process with all the dough sheets, brushing a little bit of oil on each sheet as you stack them to prevent sticking.
7. After completing this step, cover the plate with cling film and steam for about 10 minutes.
8. Wash and shred the carrots and bamboo shoots.
9. Heat oil in a pan, add the carrots and bamboo shoots, stir-fry briefly, add an appropriate amount of salt, and remove from the heat.
10. Peel and shred the potatoes, rinse under water, then stir-fry in a hot pan with cold oil. Add 1 teaspoon of vinegar and an appropriate amount of salt, and remove from the heat.
11. Wash and shred the red cabbage and set aside.
12. Take one pancake, place it warm, and put the shredded carrot, bamboo shoots, and potato on top. Then add the red cabbage, fold it up, and enjoy.
Tips
1. Use boiling water to knead the dough, which makes the spring pancakes soft and pliable. They won't break when rolled up with fillings, and the partially cooked dough only needs to be baked for about a minute to be fully cooked.
2. Be sure to completely coat both sides of the stacked pancakes with oil without missing any corners, otherwise, the finished pancakes will not peel apart cleanly.
3. Instead of steaming, you can bake the pancakes, but don't use oil. Bake over low heat until the pancake starts to puff up. If you're concerned about sticking, you can lightly brush the bottom of the pan with oil, but do not use too much, as too much oil will make the pancakes crispy and prone to cracking when rolled up.
Introduction to Spring Pancakes
Food Introduction
A dietary custom of the Han nationality during the beginning of spring. A spring pancake is a thin pancake made from flour, usually eaten with various fillings. Originally, the pancake and the fillings were placed on a single plate called a “spring plate.” From the Song Dynasty through the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the tradition of eating spring pancakes grew more popular, with records of the emperor rewarding officials with spring plates and pancakes at the beginning of spring. According to the “Yan Capital Tour Guide” of the Ming Dynasty: “On the day of the beginning of spring, (the Emperor) rewards officials with spring pancakes at the Meridian Gate.” By the Qing Dynasty, the fillings for spring pancakes had become even more diverse. Nowadays, people prepare small dishes or various stir-fries and freely add them to the spring pancakes. Eating spring pancakes at the start of spring symbolizes welcoming the new season and praying for a bountiful harvest.
How to Eat Spring Pancakes
1. At the beginning of spring, the earliest form of spring pancake was a thin pancake made from wheat flour, either baked or steamed. It was traditionally eaten with a mix of bean sprouts, spinach, chives, and vermicelli, or with the pancake wrapped around the fillings. It is believed that eating spring pancakes with various vegetables will ensure healthy crops and strong livestock.
2. During the beginning of spring, fresh young leeks emerge, known as “ram's horn leeks,” which are fragrant and tender. Spring pancakes are eaten with sweet bean paste and wrapped around ram's horn leeks, referred to as “biting the spring.” In Beijing, people prefer to stir-fry chives, vermicelli, spinach, and shredded leeks, mix them together, and wrap them in spring pancakes to eat.
3. There is also the method of wrapping spring pancakes with shredded braised pork, chicken, or tripe, and it is customary to eat them from beginning to end, known as “having a head and a tail.”
4. In terms of the time of consumption, most regions still follow the ancient custom of eating spring pancakes at the start of spring, while some areas in Fujian and Guangdong provinces eat thin pancakes around the Qingming Festival.