Imagine a wrapper so thin it’s almost translucent, yet strong and chewy enough to cradle a mountain of savory filling — that’s the magic of fresh moo shu pancakes, or chūnbǐng (春饼).
They are as easy as combining all-purpose flour, salt, and boiling water. We’ll show you the simple rolling technique to get perfectly paper-thin chewy pancakes fast!
There’s Nothing Like a Fresh Moo Shu Pancake!
Whether you’re making a vegetable moo shu, moo shu chicken, moo shu pork (coming soon!), or peking duck, it’s just not the same without fresh moo shu pancakes. They’re super thin and chewy, and surprisingly simple to make.
We make moo shu pancakes with hot water dough—flour mixed with boiling water. This breaks down the gluten in the flour, making for a very pliable dough that you can roll extremely thinly. Once cooked, it has both a chewy and tender texture.
The secret to getting them so thin is to roll them two at a time (which also makes the process go doubly fast!). You cook them very quickly in a dry wok (only 1-2 minutes per pancake) and then pull apart the thin pancakes once they’re out of the wok. This way, you have a slightly bubbly, slightly crisp side, as well as the tender smooth side of the pancake.
If making these ahead, remember to reheat the pancakes in a steamer (preferably a bamboo steamer to prevent condensation on the pancakes) right before serving!
Origins in China
In China, these pancakes are known as chūnbǐng (春饼). The word translates to “spring pancake.” Consuming them during the start of spring once symbolized a welcoming of the new season and wishes for an abundant grain harvest.
But these pancakes have evolved beyond just an occasional food. They’ve become a staple side dish. While we think of rice as the most common accompaniment for Chinese food, that’s due to the influence of immigrants from Southern China, where the warm, wet weather allowed farmers to grow rice.
In Northern China, the colder, drier climate makes wheat, millet, and soybeans the more practical crops. As such, flour-based foods, like steamed bread, buns, dumplings, noodles, and wraps/pancakes are staples.
So instead of eating rice, you can eat these flour-based pancakes with your meal. You might roll a large piece of scallion inside a pancake and dip it into sweet flour sauce (tiánmiànjiàng – 甜面酱) or another sauce and enjoy that with various stir-fries or other dishes.
(Sarah mentioned that it’s similar to how you might roll up a tortilla to have alongside a bowl of soup or stew in Mexico.)
In fact, Bill and I have gone to chunbing restaurants in China, where everything is served with these pancakes.
There are many dishes you can enjoy with chunbing, like stir-fried eggs with peppers, cabbage with egg and glass noodles, a traditional Chinese version of moo shu pork, and shredded pork with sweet bean sauce. You could enjoy these with any stir-fry you like really!
Let’s make them!
Moo Shu Pancakes Recipe Instructions
Mix the flour and salt in a heatproof bowl. Pour the boiling hot water into the flour mixture. Use chopsticks or a spatula to mix until a dough ball forms. Once cool enough to handle, knead the dough for 8 minutes until smooth, adding flour if it’s very sticky.
Place the dough on a board and cover with the overturned mixing bowl (or cover with plastic). Rest the dough at room temperature for at least 1 hour, or up to 8 hours.
Roll the dough into a 12-inch (30cm) rope and cut into 12 equal pieces. Form each piece into a dough ball, then flatten into a small disc about 2 inches (5cm) in diameter. Lightly brush 6 of the discs with oil, ensuring the sides of the discs are also brushed with oil. Layer the remaining 6 discs over the 6 oiled discs so you have 6 pieces, each composed of 2 discs.
Use a rolling pin to roll the discs into thin circles 7 inches (18cm) in diameter. I start by pressing the dough down with my palm. Then I use my rolling pin to press the dough and make it even. Then I start rolling, flipping and rotating the pancakes as I do it so both of the dough discs are about the same size.
Heat a dry wok or frying pan over medium low heat, and place one pancake into the pan. After 30 to 45 seconds, you should see air pockets begin to form between the two pancakes. Flip the pancake; it should be white with just a couple of faint brown patches. Any more than that, and you’ve overcooked them!
After another 30 seconds, the air pockets should be large enough to separate the two pancakes. Remove the pancake to a plate, and let it cool for another 30 seconds. Now carefully pull apart the two pancakes at the seams.
Place finished pancakes onto a plate and cover with a warm kitchen towel. Repeat with remaining pancakes!
Tip!
Reheat the pancakes in a steamer for about 1 minute when ready to serve. They also keep in the freezer for up to 1 month if you decide to make a larger batch.
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Recipe
Moo Shu Pancakes
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 2/3 cup boiling water
- neutral oil (for brushing; such as vegetable, canola, or avocado oil)
Instructions
- Mix the flour and salt in a heatproof bowl. Pour the boiling hot water into the flour mixture and use chopsticks or a spatula to mix until a dough ball forms. Once cool enough to handle, knead the dough for 8 minutes until smooth, adding flour if the dough is too sticky. Place the dough on a board and cover with the overturned mixing bowl Allow the dough to rest at room temperature for at least 1 hour, or up to 8 hours.
- Roll the dough into a 12-inch (30cm) rope and cut into 12 equal pieces. Form each piece into a dough ball, then flatten into a small disc about 2 inches (5cm) in diameter. Lightly brush 6 of the discs with oil, ensuring the sides of the discs are also brushed with oil. Layer the remaining 6 discs over the 6 oiled discs so you have 6 pieces, each composed of 2 discs.
- Use a rolling pin to roll the discs into thin circles 7 inches (18cm) in diameter, flipping and rotating the pancakes as you roll so both of the dough discs are about the same size.
- Heat a dry wok or frying pan over medium low heat, and place one pancake into the pan. After 30 to 45 seconds, you should see air pockets begin to form between the two pancakes. Flip the pancake; it should be white with just a couple of faint brown patches. Any more than that, and they are overcooked. After another 30 seconds, the air pockets should be large enough to separate the two pancakes. Remove the pancake to a plate, and let it cool for another 30 seconds. Now carefully pull apart the two pancakes at the seams. Place finished pancakes onto a plate and cover with a warm kitchen towel. Repeat until all pancakes are done.
