If you have read my write-up on Shanghainese-style breakfasts, you know the breakfast choices in Shanghai range far and wide. This Shanghai Scallion Flatbread (Shànghǎi qiāng bǐng, 上海羌饼) is one of my favorites.
What Is Shanghai Scallion Flatbread?
While I’m calling this a Shanghai Scallion Flatbread because it’s what I grew up with in the Shanghai area, there are different variations of it across China. Basically, it is a leavened, thick pancake, cooked on a griddle rather than baked.
This version has a coating of nutty sesame seeds, with a crisp outer crust that contrasts with its soft and fluffy middle. It has an aroma similar to that of its cousin, the regular scallion pancake we all know and love.
Another Vivid Childhood Food Memory
The ones I remember were much bigger than this homemade version. It was bigger than a large pizza. You would purchase it by weight, because no one could finish even a slice of that giant pancake!
I remember impatiently waiting in line for a piece, mesmerized by the wisps of steam and the soft sizzle of condensation dropping onto the hot metal pan.
I have to admit, the crunchy sesame seed crust was always worth whatever wait was required.
After I made it for the girls the first time, they quickly compared it to Italian focaccia. This flatbread is indeed quite similar to focaccia in terms of thickness, and it has a similar oil-crisped crust.
However, the Shanghai version is much softer and has a hint of sweetness that makes it stand out in my mind.
After thinking about qiāng bǐng for so many years, I’ve finally gotten around to experimenting with my own recipe and documenting it.
It’s very special to me, so do give it a try. I hope you like it as much as I do. (And as much as the rest of the family does, now that they’ve experienced it too!)
Shanghai Scallion Flatbread: Recipe Instructions
In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, yeast, and sugar.
Pour in the tepid water and work it into the flour gradually with chopsticks or a rubber spatula.
The dough will be sticky and slightly wet, but still workable. Do your best not to add more flour to the dough from this point on!
Knead the dough until it forms a soft ball.
Cover the mixing bowl with a damp kitchen towel and proof in a warm spot until the dough triples in size, 60-90 minutes. I proof my dough inside my microwave, with a large mug of just-boiled water next to it and the microwave door closed.
After proofing, add the sea salt, white pepper, and ground Sichuan peppercorns (or five spice powder).
Knead for another 5 minutes to combine. If the stickiness of the dough makes it difficult to work with, oil your hands rather than using additional flour.
Cover the dough with the towel again, and let it rest on the counter for another 15 minutes. At this point, you can very finely chop the scallions (they must be small to distribute evenly throughout the pancake and release more flavor).
Knead the dough one more time for 2 minutes to get rid of any air bubbles. Brush a clean, flat work surface (such as a clean counter or cutting board) lightly with oil.
Using an oiled rolling pin, roll the dough into a thin rectangle a little less than ¼-inch (0.6 cm) thick.
Brush the rolled dough with a thin layer of oil.
Evenly cover it with the scallions.
Roll it up lengthwise into a tight log.
Roll the log into a thinner tube (this also helps reduce air pockets).
And roll the tube into a spiral to form a thick disc. Tuck the end underneath.
Use your hands and a rolling pin to press the disc down into a 10” circle.
Sprinkle both sides liberally with sesame seeds, making sure to cover the entire surface.
Press the sesame seeds into the dough with the palm of your hand.
The dough circle will be very soft. Use a bench scraper or a large spatula to flip it before sprinkling the other side with sesame seeds.
In a large flat bottomed non-stick or cast iron pan with a lid (I used a 12” cast iron pan), add 3 tablespoons of oil and spread it evenly across the pan’s surface.
Place the dough circle into the oiled pan. (Lay it over your rolling pin to transfer it to the pan.)
Press the dough into the pan.
Cover and allow it to rest for another 20 minutes, without turning on the heat!
After the dough has rested, turn the heat on to medium, with the lid still on. Set a timer for 12 minutes.
After 12 minutes, open the lid and check the bottom of the pancake.
When it’s evenly golden brown, flip the pancake, cover again, and cook for another 6 minutes.
Remove the lid, and cook for another few minutes to dry out the crust. The pancake is done when both sides are a deep golden brown, and the outer crust is crisp (it should sound hollow when you tap on it).
Enjoy!
Shanghai Scallion Flatbread
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon active dry yeast (can substitute same amount of instant yeast)
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 3/4 cup tepid water
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon ground Sichuan peppercorns (optional; can substitute five spice powder)
- 3 scallions (finely chopped, about 1/2 cup)
- 2-3 tablespoons raw sesame seeds
- 3 tablespoons oil (plus more for brushing; any neutral oil works
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, yeast, sugar, and tepid water with a rubber spatula. The dough will be sticky and slightly wet, but still workable. Do your best not to add more flour to the dough from this point on!
- Knead the dough until it forms a soft, smooth ball. Cover the mixing bowl with a damp kitchen towel and proof in a warm spot until the dough triples in size, 60-90 minutes. I proof my dough inside my microwave, with a large mug of just-boiled water next to it and the microwave door closed.
- Once the dough is done proofing, add the sea salt, white pepper, and Sichuan peppercorns (or five spice powder). Knead for another 5 minutes, until everything is well-combined. If the stickiness of the dough makes it difficult to work with, oil your hands rather than using additional flour.
- Cover the dough with the towel again, and let it rest on the counter for another 15 minutes. At this point, you can very finely chop the scallions (they must be small to distribute evenly throughout the pancake and release more flavor).
- Knead the dough one more time for 2 minutes to get rid of any air bubbles. Brush a clean, flat work surface (such as a clean counter or cutting board) lightly with oil. Using an oiled rolling pin, roll the dough into a thin rectangle a little less than ¼-inch (0.6 cm) thick.
- Brush the rolled dough with a thin layer of oil, and evenly cover it with the scallions. Roll it up lengthwise into a tight log.
- Roll the log into a thinner tube (this also helps reduce air pockets), and roll the tube into a spiral to form a thick disc. Tuck the end underneath.
- Use your hands and a rolling pin to press the disc down into a 10” circle. Sprinkle both sides liberally with sesame seeds, making sure the entire surface is covered. Press the sesame seeds into the dough with the palm of your hand. (The dough circle will be very soft, so use a bench scraper or large spatula to help you flip it over before sprinkling the other side with sesame seeds too).
- In a large flat bottomed non-stick or cast iron pan with a lid (I used a 12” cast iron pan), add 3 tablespoons of oil and spread it evenly across the pan’s surface. Place the dough circle into the oiled pan. (Lay it over your rolling pin to transfer it to the pan.) Cover and allow it to rest for another 20 minutes, without turning on the heat!
- After the dough has rested, turn the heat on to medium, with the lid still on. Set a timer for 12 minutes. After 12 minutes, open the lid and check the bottom. When it’s evenly golden brown, flip the pancake, cover again, and cook for another 6 minutes.
- Remove the lid, and cook for another few minutes to dry out the crust. The pancake is done when both sides are a deep golden brown, and the outer crust is crisp (it should sound hollow when you tap on it). Slice and enjoy!
Hi! this looks great but I am curious- what dishes would you suggest serving alongside it? is it considered a snack by itself? part of a meal? it seems substantial and your advice would be welcome!
Hi Julia, it’s a breakfast food. Serve it as is or with a glass of soy milk! :-)
Hi Judy! If I only have a 10” pan, what modifications if any would you suggest? Thank you!!
Hi Tracy, you can divide the dough in half, make 2, and cook in 2 batches.
I ended up making this in one batch in my 9 inch bottom Dutch oven and it was GREAT! I grew up eating a version of this often served at Chinese Islamic restaurants and the flavor brought me right back to those memories. Our family devoured it quickly. Will be making again! Thank you for this recipe.
That’s so great, Tracy :-)
12 minutes was too long for me. It burned at 6 minutes. Will have to try this again in the near future.
Hi Cynthia, slow and easy it the key to cooking/frying this flatbread. It cannot be rushed ;-)
Cynthia, the dough need time to cook through, try reducing the heat.
This recipe was perfection, and just what I needed since I haven’t been able to go to Chinatown during the pandemic to buy them from my favorite dumpling shop.
I did not have a cast iron pan, so I used a regular 12 inch nonstick pan. I burned mine on the bottom because I didn’t check until the first 12 minutes were up–totally on me, my burner runs hot and my pan is much thinner than cast iron. Next time, I’ll use a lower heat setting. I cut off the burnt parts and the bread is still wonderful–soft and layered on the inside, with a delicious crunchy outer layer that’s very fragrant from the sesame seeds.
TLDR; if it’s your first time trying this recipe, check sooner than 12 minutes to make sure you’re not burning the bottom like I did!
Can’t wait to make this again. Thank you!
Thank you for sharing your cooking tips, AK, much appreciated! :-)
Would this still work without the sesame seeds? My son has allergies!
Thanks for all the wonderful recipes!
Yes, Lisa, omitting sesame seeds is fine.
This flatbread was delicious. I will be making this again! Thank you!
That’s great, Mary.
(forgot the rating)
My heart leaped when I heard the hollow sound on the golden brown base as I flipped it over. It was delicious, thanks for the recipe!
LOL…LOVE IT ;-)
Hi, Judy,
Thanks so very much for your wonderful recipe, and for this delightful website altogether!
The other day, I dipped my toes in by attempting my first cooking project from your site, these scallion flatbreads.
I followed your detailed instructions as best I could, and ran into two issues:
After rolling the oiled dough into a log with the scallions, and then rolling the log into a disc, when I tried to flatten it, I couldn’t get the spiral to stick together, even with a lot of pinching. Do you think the problem might have been too much oil?
Also, although the final result was delicious, it did burn quite a bit on the first side after 12 minutes on medium heat in my cast iron pan.
Do you think it would work just as well on a low heat, and increasing the time?
Thanks!
My wife and I used to get these at a dumpling spot in Jamaica when we lived in Queens! We would get them as veg sandwiches, but I’m not totally sure what all they were stuffed with. Do you know of some common veg stuffings for these by chance? I know they were stuffed with julienned carrots, cucumber, and cilantro, but I am struggling to remember how they were cooked.
Hi Taylor, this flatbread is not usually stuffed, so I am not sure what to tell you :-)
I was afraid that might be the case. Either way, this recipe looks delicious, and I’m looking forward to making it soon! I’ll let you know if I ever figure out what it was stuffed with :P
Ok, Taylor :-)
Hi Taylor–I’ve had a similar sandwich using this type of bread! It was stuffed with pickled matchstick carrot and daikon, similar to what you would find on a bahn mi. I live in Queens, but I get mine from Chinatown, usually with five-spice beef added. But really, you could use any kind of filling. Hope that helps!