Inspired by a street stall we ate at in Xi’an, I knew the minute I sank my teeth into this crispy treat that I had to add this stuffed pancake to our recipe collection. It’s a layered, rolled, crispy pancake with spiced pork and cabbage in the middle.
Watching the vendors put this snack together was one of the best parts of our street food experience. For the Xi’an China tourist price of 10 RMB each (about $1.50), and the entertainment value of the experience, these snacks were a bargain!
These street cooks really make it look easy; they were making them as fast as people were lining up for them. Though the stuffed recipe seems simple, it took me four tries until I was confident enough to post the recipe. Lots of trial and error, but the end product is pretty comparable to the real thing, if a little less oily. Which is always a good thing!
(Update: We didn’t make this recipe halal, but you can certainly do so by substituting the pork for a halal meat of your choice!)
Here’s the final Xi’an stuffed pancake recipe:
Makes 8 stuffed pancakes
Recipe Instructions
Start by making the dough. Add the flour, water, and salt to a mixing bowl and mix until it forms a dough. Knead for 5 minutes. Set aside and cover with a damp kitchen towel to rest for at least 30 minutes but an hour is better if you have the time.
Then make the filling components. In a small bowl, combine the pork, five spice powder, cumin, soy sauce, pinch of sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. In another bowl, combine the cabbage, scallion, garlic powder, sesame oil, and white pepper.
Now you’re ready to assemble the stuffed pancakes.
Divide the dough into 8 equal portions and keep the unused dough covered with a damp towel. Next, use a couple drops of oil to lightly oil your work surface. A bamboo or wood cutting board works well.
Roll one of the dough pieces into a long, thin rectangle about four inches wide.
No need to make it perfect. Very lightly oil the dough and spread on about an eighth of your pork mixture. Then add about 2 tablespoons cabbage to one end.
Roll the dough forward into a cylinder.
Then stand it on one end so it’s a standing cylinder. Press the dough down into a flat pancake (about 3/4 inch thick, with a diameter of about 3 1/2 inches) with one hand and then sprinkle with sesame seeds.
These measurements are just meant to give you a general idea so no need to get out any tape measures!
Next, pour ½ cup oil into a small cast iron skillet or pan and heat to about 300 degrees. Place pancakes into the pan (we did 3 at a time) and fry until golden. Carefully flip and fry on the other side (about 3 minutes per side). Always be extra careful when working with hot oil.
When golden brown, transfer to a plate lined with paper towels. These Xi’an stuffed pancake rolls are best eaten as soon as they come out of the pan, but they can also be placed in the refrigerator or even frozen and re-toasted in the oven.
Xi’an Stuffed Pancakes
Ingredients
For the dough:
- 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
- ¾ cup water
- ½ teaspoon salt
For the filling:
- 1 cup ground pork (or ground lamb, beef, or chicken)
- ½ teaspoon five spice powder
- 1/8 teaspoon cumin
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1/8 teaspoon sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup green cabbage (finely chopped)
- 1 scallion (chopped)
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1/8 teaspoon white pepper
- 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
- 1/2 cup oil (for frying)
Instructions
- Start by making the dough. Add the flour, water, and salt to a mixing bowl and mix until it forms a dough. Knead for 5 minutes. Set aside and cover with a damp kitchen towel to rest.
- Then make the filling components. In a small bowl, combine the pork, five spice, cumin, soy sauce, pinch of sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. In another bowl, combine the cabbage, scallion, garlic powder, sesame oil, and white pepper.
- Now you're ready to assemble the pancakes. Divide the dough into 8 equal portions and keep the unused dough covered with a damp towel. Next, use a couple drops of oil to lightly oil your work surface--a bamboo or wood cutting board works well. Roll one of the dough pieces into a long, thin rectangle about four inches wide. No need to make it perfect. Very lightly oil the dough and spread on about an eighth of your pork mixture. Then add about 2 tablespoons cabbage to one end. Roll the dough forward like a snail. Then stand it on one end so it's like a standing cylinder. Press the dough down into a flat pancake (about 3/4 inch thick, with a diameter of about 3 1/2 inches) with one hand and then sprinkle with sesame seeds. These measurements are just meant to give you a general idea so no need to get out any tape measures!
- Next, pour ½ cup oil into a small cast iron skillet or pan and heat to about 300 degrees. Place pancakes into the pan (we did 3 at a time) and fry until golden. Carefully flip and fry on the other side (about 3 minutes per side). Always be extra careful when working with hot oil.
- When golden brown, transfer to a plate lined with paper towels. These pancake rolls are best eaten as soon as they come out of the pan, but they can also be placed in the refrigerator or even frozen and re-toasted in the oven.
Made these for Sunday brunch. Quite easy and very delicious with a little soy sauce drizzled over the top. I’ll definitely be making these again.
HI Alison, Sounds like you had a wonderful Sunday brunch!
Can you suggest a good dipping sauce for these?
Hi Angela, I usually go without a dipping sauce, but if you like, I suggest using a sauce made with some raw mashed garlic to taste, a pinch of sugar, and equal parts soy sauce, hot water (to easily dissolve the sugar) and hot chili oil. Enjoy!
Tonight I did about 1.5 TBS honey, 3 TBS ea Mirin and Soy Sauce, one tsp red pepper flakes, 1/2 tsp cayenne, 1/4 tsp ground ginger. Mix and heat for 30 seconds in microwave. One diced serrano seeds and white removed, and one diced scallion added once cool. This mix was the perfect sweet heat for my hubby and I.
Hi Chandra, sounds like a very interesting mix!
Hi bill
Could we just put it in a grilling machine or does it have to go in the pan.
Hi Ryan, A grilling machine may work if you liberally brushed them with oil before and during cooking, but I am just afraid it would be too dry, since the recipe requires a shallow fry. Let us know how it turns out if you attempt it!
do you cook the meat first and then put in the dough with the vegetable?
Hi Gail, the meat is raw when making the pancakes. It will cook nicely inside the pancake!
Sigh…I’m your newest fan. I truly love ALL your recipes…
Thanks Oni and welcome!
OMG! These were too irresistable to wait for them to cool before biting into them. Ok, I cut it in half before taking the first bite so I would’t burn the inside of my mouth. :) These were so yummy! I had them with Chinese Chinkiang vinegar and it was hard to stop eating after the second one. I am glad the recipe makes only 8 since I had to also share with my hubby and MIL. Will definitely make again!
Hi Liane, Lol, they are good hot out of the pan – best time to eat them! I made a small batch the other day and yes, they are good:-)
Is there anyway that these could be baked instead of fried?
Hi Julia, I am not sure if these will work out if baked but I would say that the best method to try baking this recipe is to brush both sides of the pancakes generously with oil before putting them on a sheet pan or cookie sheet. Then place them in an oven preheated to 400 degrees F and bake until golden brown – 20 minutes maybe? Let us know if you try it!
If this dish is to be made with vegetables only then which mixture of vegetables will you suggest? Nice recipe.
Hi D, I would suggest using shredded carrots!