Mandarin Pancakes Recipe (2024)

By J. Kenji López-Alt

Mandarin Pancakes Recipe (1)

Total Time
30 minutes, plus resting
Rating
4(224)
Notes
Read community notes

These thin pancakes are typically used for wrapping moo shu pork or Peking duck. They’re made with a hot water dough, which makes them very easy to roll out. Stacking two disks of dough, rolling them out, cooking them, then carefully peeling them apart lets you make pancakes that are half as thin as a single pancake would be — and prepared in nearly half the amount of time.

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Ingredients

Yield:12 large pancakes or up to 20 smaller pancakes

  • 2cups plus 2 tablespoons/280 grams all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
  • cup plus 2 tablespoons/100 milliliters boiling water
  • cup plus 2 tablespoons/100 milliliters cold water
  • Vegetable oil or roasted sesame oil, for brushing

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Nutritional analysis per serving (12 servings)

170 calories; 1 gram fat; 0 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 1 gram monounsaturated fat; 0 grams polyunsaturated fat; 34 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 0 grams sugars; 5 grams protein; 2 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Mandarin Pancakes Recipe (2)

Preparation

  1. Step

    1

    Place flour in a medium bowl. Add the boiling water in a thin stream while stirring with chopsticks or a wooden spoon. It helps to set the bowl in a heavy saucepan lined with a dish towel to keep it stable, or a friend stabilize the bowl as you do this. Add the cold water in a thin stream, continuing to mix the whole time. Stir the mixture until it turns into a shaggy ball, then dump the ball out onto a lightly floured work surface.

  2. Step

    2

    Knead the dough with your hands until it forms a smooth ball, about 5 minutes. Cover the dough ball with a damp dish towel and let rest at room temperature for at least 30 minutes or up to a couple hours.

  3. Step

    3

    Roll the dough into a log roughly 10 inches long, then cut it in half crosswise. Line up the two small logs, then section each one in 6ths to form 12 pieces (for approximate 8-inch pancakes); in 8ths for 16 pieces (for approximate 7-inch pancakes) or in 10ths for 20 pieces (for approximate 6-inch pancakes).

  4. Roll two pieces into smooth balls between your hands, working with one piece at a time. Then, using a rolling pin or wine bottle, gently roll each of the two pieces into circular disks about ¼-inch thick. (You’ll cook two pieces at a time and proceed through the end of Step 7 before rolling out the remaining balls.)

  5. Step

    5

    Brush the top of one disk with a thin, even layer of oil, then stack the second disk on top. Using a rolling pin, roll the stacked disks into a 6- to 8-inch circle. The size will depend on the number of balls you made in Step 3.

  6. Step

    6

    Heat a cast-iron, carbon steel, or nonstick skillet over medium until a drop of water flicked onto the surface immediately bubbles and evaporates (about 2 minutes), then add the rolled, stacked disk. Let cook on one side until blistered and browned in spots, about 1 minute. Flip and cook until second side is blistered and browned. Sometimes the pancakes will bubble up with steam as they cook, preventing the second side from making good contact with the pan. You can gently press down on them with a flat spatula if this happens.

  7. Step

    7

    Remove the cooked disk, then carefully peel it apart into two thin pancakes while still hot. Transfer to a plate and cover with a clean dish towel.

  8. Step

    8

    Repeat Steps 4 through 7 for the remaining dough balls, adjusting heat as necessary to make sure the pancakes brown in spots but don’t blacken. Finished pancakes should be served while still warm. To store leftovers, place the pancakes on large squares of plastic wrap or aluminum foil, then roll them up like a jelly roll and refrigerate. Reheat covered in the microwave, or briefly heat one at a time in a hot, dry skillet.

Ratings

4

out of 5

224

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Private Notes

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Cooking Notes

JB

Is there a way to make these pancakes with rice flour or something else for the gluten-free crowd?

CElleD

Just finished these and MUST recommend them to everyone who has someone in their lives who loves making cookies. 10x easier than you imagine. The simultaneous rolling of the two pancakes makes this recipe super-fast. You’re finishing two in the time it takes to do one. The post-stovetop peeling apart works like magic. That’s why you should include children, if you have some handy. It’s a fast and fun project with surprisingly delicious results!

Judy R

Or, even easier, you could make crepes in a crepe pan. Thin like the Chinese pancake.

Paul Worster

An improvement for step 7:Remove the cooked disk, pinching the edge. Toss the disk in the air so that it's rotating along a horizontal axis with the edge closest to you. "Catch" the disk by catching it between your clapping hands. The air bubble between the two halves of the disk will cleanly pop and you'll have a much easier (and more fun) time separating the two thin pancakes.As an added bonus, anyone that witnesses this will want to try it - instant help in the kitchen!

Belinda Chang

does this recipe work with gluten-free flour?

Kit

I have made Mandarin pancakes many times before. This recipe did not work for me. I have always used recipes that use boiling water only, and the dough was easy to roll out. I don't know if it's the mix of boiling & cold water, or the amount of water, but the dough was sticky and impossible to work with. A lot of putzing and had to throw them all out.

Ying Mei

Just wondering if anyone has tried freezing the pancakes, saving time for future use..

gale

Works fine - just separate each w/waxed paper. deli paper, whatever. I do it all the time.

GaryD

I have used thin flour tortillas brushed with sesame oil and heated in a skillet. Not a terrible substitute for the Mandarin pancakes.

kb

there is a silicone device called "staybowlizer" that you sit your bowl in so it doesn't tip or slide around. it is particularly good with round bottomed stainless steel mixing bowls. fits any size bowl.

John Golden

My Asian store had the pancakes and dried Lilly and dried mushrooms

Klkruger

Tortilla presses press, they don't cook.

Mudd

Don’t know for sure. Maybe gluten free wouldn’t quite work right. But for lots of gluten free info, check out the King Arthur Flour website. They have lots of info and gluten free recipes. No, I don’t work for them! They’re really super helpful.

Vincent

For those experiencing dough that came out too sticky and difficult to work with, I was able to fix this by stirring the dough for about a minute after adding the hot water, before adding the cold water. In Kenji's cookbook "The Wok", he says that the hot water helps to deactivate the gluten forming proteins in the flour, while the cold water improves the dough's elasticity. So keeping the dough hot longer allows for a less sticky and more workable dough.

dhwsmith

I froze them, thawed them, and they were completely unworkable. Very soft, stretchy, sticky. I got maybe four ugly pancakes that after being cooked were crisp as potato chips--not foldable. I have no idea where I went wrong.

Bo

There is no comparison, these mandarin pancakes are far superior to flower tortillas. The stretchiness makes then hold up to the mooshu filling. So good, and pretty easy. Get a tortilla warmer to keep them warm and supple until dinner is ready!

Lois

I recently made moo shu pork but didn't want to go to the trouble of making the pancakes. So I bought the largest flour tortillas I could find, made cut outs as if I were making biscuits and heated them under a damp towel in the microwave. Worked perfectly.

BBk

You have to make it a lot thinner than 1/4 inch. More like 1/8 of an inch.

Kit

I have made Mandarin pancakes many times before. This recipe did not work for me. I have always used recipes that use boiling water only, and the dough was easy to roll out. I don't know if it's the mix of boiling & cold water, or the amount of water, but the dough was sticky and impossible to work with. A lot of putzing and had to throw them all out.

CElleD

Just finished these and MUST recommend them to everyone who has someone in their lives who loves making cookies. 10x easier than you imagine. The simultaneous rolling of the two pancakes makes this recipe super-fast. You’re finishing two in the time it takes to do one. The post-stovetop peeling apart works like magic. That’s why you should include children, if you have some handy. It’s a fast and fun project with surprisingly delicious results!

Moira

Cut the large log lengthwise surely? Rather than crosswise?

stephanie

no, you want to cut the log in half into two shorter logs. (not two long skinny logs - although since you're rolling the pieces into balls it really doesn't matter as long as you get 12 equal dough balls to match up.)

Jshan

Love this! My grandmother taught me a similar recipe but using duram flour. We would make two at a time when we had a large group or when we ate it with mango purée.

Paul Worster

An improvement for step 7:Remove the cooked disk, pinching the edge. Toss the disk in the air so that it's rotating along a horizontal axis with the edge closest to you. "Catch" the disk by catching it between your clapping hands. The air bubble between the two halves of the disk will cleanly pop and you'll have a much easier (and more fun) time separating the two thin pancakes.As an added bonus, anyone that witnesses this will want to try it - instant help in the kitchen!

kb

there is a silicone device called "staybowlizer" that you sit your bowl in so it doesn't tip or slide around. it is particularly good with round bottomed stainless steel mixing bowls. fits any size bowl.

Deborah N

Can you use a tortilla press to cook the pancakes?

Klkruger

Tortilla presses press, they don't cook.

Irma Bauer-Levesque

rolled, stacked disc? Do you cook them all at once peeling them off as they cook? This is unclear. Demo pls!

Cathy

You only cook 2 "stacked" pancakes at a time...see last sentence of Step 4. The ones I've received with take-out moo shu rarely have any color at all and are very fragile....if you don't like a drippy mess I'd vote for the flour tortilla's.I'd appreciate some clarity about how to stack them for serving and storage....I'm assuming cooked side against the center "uncooked" side? I always cover the leftover pancakes with a wet paper towel when I reheat in a mw.

John Golden

My Asian store had the pancakes and dried Lilly and dried mushrooms

Belinda Chang

does this recipe work with gluten-free flour?

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Mandarin Pancakes Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What flour are Chinese pancakes made of? ›

Sometimes they might be referred to as Mandarin pancakes. Made with wheat flour and water, Peking duck pancakes are cooked either in a steamer or a pan.

What are mu shu wraps made of? ›

ingredients
  1. 1 lb lean boneless pork loin, well trimmed,cut into 1/4 inch thick strips.
  2. 1 medium onion, thinly sliced.
  3. 3 cloves garlic, minced.
  4. 14 cup minced fresh ginger.
  5. 3 cups cabbage and carrot coleslaw mix (I use the one that has carrots & red cabbage in it)
  6. 1 medium red bell pepper, sliced.
  7. 4 cups bean sprouts.

What are Chinese scallion pancakes made of? ›

Ingredients. All you need are some basic pantry ingredients to make great scallion pancakes – all-purpose flour, water, salt, vegetable oil, and green onion. To further boost the taste, you could add some ground Sichuan peppercorns to the filling, but it's totally OK to skip them.

How unhealthy are scallion pancakes? ›

Are scallion pancakes healthy. Scallion pancakes that are served at restaurants arent as healthy as what you would make at home. They tend to be a bit greasy at restaurants and loaded with oil and butter. Making them at home would be a much healthier option for you.

What is the difference between Chinese and Korean scallion pancakes? ›

If you have a lot of extra scallions laying around, make Korean pajeon since it uses the whole scallion. On the other hand, when you're craving a flaky and chewy texture, Chinese scallion pancakes are the way to go.

What is Japanese pancake made of? ›

The batter is made with flour, tempura scraps (tenkasu), grated yam (nagaimo or yamaimo), and eggs. It's then mixed with shredded cabbage and sometimes additional ingredients like shrimp and squid. A classic topping is pork belly slices, placed on top of the savory pancake while grilling.

What is a Beijing pancake? ›

They're not made with a batter, but with a simple, unyeasted flour and water dough that is cut into golf ball-size pieces and then rolled as thinly as possible to form transparent disks. That sounds fairly basic, but the water is boiling when it's added to the flour, and that changes the whole dynamic.

What is the healthiest flour to use for pancakes? ›

To make healthy pancakes, use whole-wheat or another whole-grain (cornmeal, oats or buckwheat) flour instead. Whole-wheat flour has 16 grams of fiber per cup compared to 3 grams of fiber in white flour.

What are Chinese tortillas called? ›

Tortillas in a Chinese dish?!

In Cantonese, it's called a "bohk béng" - or "thin pancake". Others call it a Spring Pancake.

Is moo shu healthy? ›

Is moo shu vegetable healthy? Yes, it is! This vegan moo shu is made with vegetables, minimal oil, and just a few processed ingredients for a dish you will feel good about serving.

What is Mushu Chinese food? ›

In its traditional Chinese version, moo shu pork consists of sliced pork tenderloin, cucumber, and scrambled eggs, stir-fried in lard together with bite-sized cuttings of wood ear mushrooms (black fungus) and enoki mushrooms. Historically the original dish in Shandong cuisine contained bamboo shoots.

What are Chinese pancakes made of? ›

Ingredients
  • Wheat Flour (Wheat Flour, Calcium Carbonate, Iron, Nicotinamide, Thiamine),
  • Water,
  • Rapeseed Oil,
  • Potato Starch,
  • Salt.

What is Vietnamese pancake made of? ›

It is a savoury fried pancake made of rice flour, water, and turmeric powder. It can also be called a Vietnamese crêpe. Some common stuffings include pork, prawns, diced green onion, mung bean, and bean sprouts. Bánh xèo is often served with sides.

What are purple pancakes made of? ›

These vibrant purple pancakes get their color from a natural source: ube, also known as purple yam. This ingredient is common in Filipino desserts, but can be difficult to find in the United States.

What are mandarin noodles made of? ›

In Mandarin, miàn (simplified Chinese: 面; traditional Chinese: 麵; often transliterated as "mien" or "mein" ) refers to noodles made from wheat flour, while fěn (粉) or "fun" refers to noodles made from other starches, particularly rice flour and mung bean starch.

What are Taro pancakes made of? ›

  • 1 cup taro freshly shredded/grated.
  • 1 tsp flour.
  • 2 tbs oil for frying.
  • salt and pepper.

What were pancakes originally made of? ›

People began using the word “pancake” during the 15th century, and the word became standard in 19th century America. Previously, people referred to them as Indian cakes, hoe cakes, johnnycakes, journey cakes, buckwheat cakes, griddle cakes, and flapjacks. Early American pancakes were made with buckwheat or cornmeal.

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