Cooking for Zo

Taste Level: GR
Cost: $20 and under
Serves: 4-6
Prep Time: 25-30 min.
Cook Time: 5-10 min.
Difficulty: 2

I had these for the first time about 14 years ago at my high school sweethearts house. I can't remember if she or her mother made them to snack on, I just remember them being really good. The version of them they made were actually full of ground ginger. I decided to make mine a little more like the classic Scallion Pancakes and make an Apricot ginger sauce to dip them in. I was very worried this sauce would come out horrible because I was running short on time so I just jotted down a quick idea and asked Zo to throw it together. As luck would have it what I jotted down was better than I could've imagined! I've tried my best to make the instructions as clear as possible, so if you have any problems email me! If I figure out a better way to explain what to do to the dough I will update this post! Enjoy!

Ingredients:
Pancakes
2 cups all purpose flour
4-5 scallions (finely chopped at least ½ cup)
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 tsp sesame seed oil
red pepper flakes (to taste)
fresh crack pepper (to taste)
kosher salt (to taste)
1 cup boiling water

Apricot Ginger Dipping Sauce
1/3 cup Apricot preserves
2 tbsp cider vinegar
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 scallion (diced)
1 tsp fresh ginger (minced)
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1 pinch brown sugar

Sauce
Heat preserves in a small non stick skillet over medium low heat until they begin to liquefy. Whisk in remaining ingredients, remove from heat and chill until ready to serve.

Pancakes
Sift flour into a large bowl. Slowly add water to flour as you stir with a wooden spoon until thicken, once thick let cool enough to touch and then gently knead dough by hand into ball. Cover with a damp towel and let sit for 15 minutes at room temperature

Whisk oils together.

Roll out dough on a floured surface into a rectangular shape that is about ¼ inch thick. Brush 2 tsp-1 tbsp of oil mixture onto the dough. Sprinkle evenly with seasonings and scallions. Now gently roll up into a tight long tube (much like you would a jelly roll.)

Cut the long jelly roll tube into four even pieces. Gently squeeze each of the smaller rollers so that the stick together and you will be able to work with them. Stretch each individual roll to about two and a half times its length. After stretching all the rolls, give each one 3-4 full twists to make them into ropes. Take each twisted rope and tightly coil into a circle. Flatten out each coil by hand into a 1/4 inch thick pancake shape.

Heat a nonstick skillet over medium to medium high heat.

Whisk together oils once more and lightly brush both sides of each pancake. Cook pancakes in heated skillet for 3-4 minutes per side or until both sides are golden brown.

Cut into wedges and serve warm with dipping sauce. Enjoy!