Pan-Fried Scallion & Chive Bread (Chong Yu Bing)

A simple and delicious recipe from the doyenne of Chinese-American cuisine, Barbara Tropp. It was in her excellent cookbook based on her San Francisco restaurant, the "China Moon Cookbook".

• Ready In: 30 mins
• Yields: 4 6-inch breads

Ingredients

• 1  tablespoon  flavorful  oil (eg. 1 teaspoon sesame oil mixed with 2 teaspoons corn or peanut oil)
• 1  tablespoon  hot chili oil
• 1 1⁄2 cups  green and white scallions, thinly sliced rings (green onion)
• 1⁄2 cup  coarsely chopped  cilantro leaves and stems
• 1⁄2 cup  chinese chives or 1⁄2 cup  regular chives, finely chopped
• 2  cups all-purpose flour
• 2  teaspoons baking powder
• 1⁄3 cup  very hot tap water
• 1⁄3 cup cold water
•  about 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1⁄3-1⁄2 cup  corn oil or 1⁄3-1⁄2 cup  peanut oil, for pan-frying

Directions

1. Combine oil and chili oil in a small dish and set aside. Combine scallions, cilantro and chives in another bowl and set aside.
2. Combine flour and baking powder in the bowl of a mixer fitted with the flat paddle. With machine running on low speed, add hot and cold water in quick succession. Stop machine as soon as dough comes together in a soft ball. If it's very tacky and sticky, add a bit more flour.
3. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured board. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest 15 minutes. (If the dough has been made in a food processor, let rest 40 minutes.) Roll gently into a smooth log. Cut evenly into 4 pieces, then put each piece, cut side down, on the lightly floured board. Cover with plastic wrap.
4. Working with a piece at a time, shape dough by rolling into a thin, even circle about 7 ½ inches in diameter. Brush top with a generous film of the oil mixture, then sprinkle evenly with a rounded ¼ teaspoon salt. Heap dough with 2/3 cup of reserved greens, then spread evenly over top. Roll up dough into a fat cylinder — it doesn't need to be too tight. Grasp one end of the dough and wind other end around it in a tight spiral. Tuck tail end underneath and press lightly with your hand to flatten. Gently roll out into a 6-inch circle. Put aside on a freshly floured spot, then repeat with remaining dough.
5. Cook breads immediately to prevent a soggy texture. Heat an 8- to 10-inch heavy skillet over high heat until a bead of water evaporates on contact. Add enough oil to glaze bottom by 1/8 inch, swirling to coat; reduce heat to moderate. When oil is hot enough to foam a pinch of flour, add first bread to pan. Cook until bottom is golden and a bit crusty, 3 to 4 minutes. Adjust heat so bread doesn't scorch. Flip and fry until golden, about 3 minutes longer. Remove to paper towel-lined plate. Repeat process with oil and remaining dough.
6. Serve breads fresh from skillet, each cut into fourths. Or let cool and hold at room temperature up to 8 hours. Reheat in 350°F oven until hot, about 5 minutes.