There are few things worse than being sick. Fever, cough, the feeling like you just might crumble under the weight of the six blankets you have piled on top of you. All the symptoms of some sadistic bug you caught making you wish more than anything you could go back in time and get that flu shot (they don’t hurt nearly as bad as this). Unfortunately that was where I was at last weekend.
Laid up and hating life, you start to fixate on those things that make you feel better. For me that is always food. Without an appetite, your body naturally craves items that provide more comfort than substance. For me, scallion pancakes fills this weird void.
Found most commonly as street food in Chinese cities for a breakfast on the go option, scallion pancakes are a delicious handheld snack that won me over when I was as a kid. Now in the doldrums of a winter flu, the extremely simple recipe works better than any over the counter medicine for warming up my spirits.
Ingredients
- 2 cups white flour
- 3/4 cup warm water
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 1 bunch scallions, chopped
- Oil for pan frying
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Sift salt with flour and combine with water.
- Knead dough until it is smooth and soft, cover and let rest for 30 minutes.
- Cut the dough into four equal parts and roll out into a thin sheet.
- Brush sesame oil over dough and sprinkle scallions liberally on top.
- Tightly roll up each dough sheet and then wrap into a spiral (think cinnamon roll).
- Flatten out spiraled dough, cook in frying pan on medium high heat for 2 minutes on each side.
- Serve with grilled meat or soy sauce.
Is Chinese cuisine your comfort food? There are a few places in Jackson where you can go to get your fix. Both Ocean City Bistro and Hong Kong Buffett have full Chinese menus. The Noodle Kitchen is also a great choice for some tasty Asian food featuring favorites like The Generals Chicken and Duck Fried Rice.