Word on the street is that my partner and friends actually prefer this puffy beef pancake over my layered beef pancake (link here)?! Personally, I love the soft, bready texture of a good scallion pancake, so when I stumbled upon this recipe for a fluffier beef-pancake version, I knew I had to try it. Who knows—maybe one day, I’ll even adapt it into a scallion pancake!
RECIPE
for 6 beef pancakes
- 250g AP flour
- 3-4g yeast
- 2g baking powder
- 200g warm water
- 5g sugar
- 2g salt
- 8g oil
- 0.5lb minced beef
- 1tbsp oyster sauce
- 1tbsp dark soy sauce
- 2tsp soy sauce
- 2tsp five-spice powder
- 2tsp white pepper powder
- 1tsp sugar
- 1tsp Szechuan peppercorn powder (optional if you want a kick of spice)
- 2tbsp minced ginger
- a few cloves of garlic, minced
- 6 stems of scallions, minced
INSTRUCTION
Step 1: In a mixing bowl, combine 250g all-purpose flour, 3-4g yeast, and 2g baking powder.
Step 2: In a separate bowl, dissolve 5g sugar and 2g salt in 200g warm water (~60°F)—warm but not too hot, so it doesn’t kill the yeast.
Step 3: Slowly pour the water into the dry ingredients, stirring with chopsticks until no dry flour remains.
Step 4: Add 8g oil to the dough and use chopsticks or a spatula to fold it in until fully incorporated. Let the dough rest for 10 minutes, then mix again until it becomes smoother. Cover and let it rest for at least 1 hour, or until it doubles in size.
Step 5: Mince a few slices of ginger, a few cloves of garlic, and 6 scallion stems, then soak them in ~100g water to infuse their aroma. This will be added to the beef filling later.
Step 6: In a separate mixing bowl, combine 0.5lb minced beef with:
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 2 tsp soy sauce
- 2 tsp five-spice powder
- 2 tsp white pepper powder
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp Szechuan peppercorn powder
Step 7: Once the dough has doubled in size, it’s time to assemble the pancakes. Gradually pour the infused ginger-garlic-scallion water into the beef mixture in three batches, ensuring each addition is fully absorbed before adding the next. This will help make the beef pancake stuffing juicier.
Step 8: Lightly oil your hands or wear oil-coated gloves to prevent the sticky dough from sticking. Divide the dough into six portions (~70-80g each) and stretch each piece slightly larger than your palm.
Step 9: Place a generous spoonful of the beef filling in the center of each dough round. Carefully wrap the dough around the filling, sealing it tightly. Thanks to the dough’s high water content and long resting time, it should be stretchy enough to enclose the filling securely.
Step 10: For a fluffier, more bread-like texture, I usually let the assembled pancakes rest for about 10 minutes on a plate before cooking.
Step 11: Heat a generous amount of oil in a non-stick frying pan over high heat. Place the pancakes in the pan, then reduce to medium-low heat to allow the dough to rise and cook through – do NOT press down on the pancake for obvious reasons… Flip when the first side turns golden and crispy—this should take 2-3 minutes per side.
Step 12: Transfer to a plate and enjoy these crispy, juicy, and flavor-packed beef pancakes while they’re hot! 
