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Meigan Cai Pancakes

Prep
25 minutes
Cook
30 minutes
Rest
1 hour
Total
1:55 hours
Makes
15 pc

Ingredients

For the dough

  • 500 g All-purpose flour

    Also known as: plain flour, AP flour

    Plain wheat flour is medium in gluten protein content at ~10% with no added leavening agents.

  • 300 ml Water , warm
  • 1 pinch Salt
  • Extra virgin olive oil

    Also known as: EVOO, EV olive oil

    , for shaping the dough

For the filling

  • 500 g Pork meat , minced, preferably with some fat
  • 60 g Dry pickled Chinese mustard

    Also known as: meigan cai, mei cai, mui choy

    梅干菜 méigān cài • This dry pickle consists of a whole head of various varieties of Chinese mustard (芥菜 jiècài), rape (油菜 yóucài), and Chinese cabbage (白菜 báicài) that has undergone an elaborate process consisting of drying, steaming, and salting.

    Available at: Supermercat YangKuang (Barcelona)
  • 150 Spring onions
    Available at: Supermercat YangKuang (Barcelona)
    , finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp Light soy sauce
    Available at: Supermercat YangKuang (Barcelona) DayDay Go - Supermercat Asiàtic (Barcelona)
  • 1 tbsp Oyster sauce
    Available at: Supermercat YangKuang (Barcelona) DayDay Go - Supermercat Asiàtic (Barcelona)

    Substitutes: vegan oyster sauce / mushroom vegetarian stir-fry sauce

  • 1 pinch Five-spice powder

    五香粉 wǔ xiāng fěn • Spice mixture of five or more spices; commonly star anise, cloves, Chinese cinnamon, Sichuan pepper, and fennel seeds, used predominantly in almost all branches of Chinese cuisine. The five flavours of the spices reflect the five traditional Chinese elements (wood, fire, earth, metal, and water) and flavours (sweet, bitter, sour, salty, and savoury).

    Where to find it: Chinese and Asian markets

    Available at: Supermercat YangKuang (Barcelona) DayDay Go - Supermercat Asiàtic (Barcelona)

    Substitutes: It can be done with the five spices that may vary depending on the region; it is enough to maintain the balance that each one contributes.

  • 1 pinch Salt

For shaping and cooking

  • 1 handfull Sesame seeds
  • Cooking oil , for brushing and pan-frying

Method

  1. Prepare the dough

  2. 1

    Add a pinch of salt to the flour and mix well. Gradually pour in the warm water while mixing. Once the dough comes together, knead for about 5 minutes. Cover and leave it to rest for about 1 hour.

  3. 2

    Once rested, the dough should be soft and smooth. Roll it into a long log and divide it into portions of about 50–55 g each.

  4. 3

    Rub a very small amount of olive oil onto your hands—just enough to lightly coat them. Knead and shape each portion into a smooth ball. Working a little oil into the surface of the dough helps keep it soft and elastic.

  5. Prepare the filling

  6. 4

    Soak the dried preserved mustard greens in warm water for about 40 minutes. Rinse them thoroughly under running water to remove any remaining grit or sand, then drain well.

  7. 5

    Heat a dry wok over medium heat, without adding any oil. Add the preserved mustard greens and stir-fry until all the excess moisture has evaporated and the greens are completely dry. Transfer them to a bowl and leave to cool.

  8. 6

    Season the minced pork with a pinch of salt, soy sauce, oyster sauce, and five-spice powder. Mix well, then add the cooled preserved mustard greens and mix until evenly combined.

  9. Fill and shape the pancakes

  10. 7

    Using a rolling pin, roll each dough ball into a small, flat round.

  11. 8

    Place about 30–35 g of the pork filling in the center of each piece of dough.

  12. 9

    Add some chopped spring onion on top of the filling. Gather the edges of the dough around the filling and pinch them together firmly to seal.

  13. 10

    Place each filled dough ball seam-side down. Lightly brush the surface with oil to prevent it from drying out, then set it aside while you continue filling the remaining dough.

  14. 11

    By the time you finish filling the last one, the first filled dough ball will have had a little time to rest and will be easier to flatten. Start again with the first one. Sprinkle some sesame seeds on your work surface and place the filled dough ball on top, so the bottom picks up some sesame seeds.

  15. 12

    Gently press the dough with the palm of your hand to flatten it slightly. Then use a rolling pin, starting from the center and gradually pressing each end(it needs to press it, not rolling it, otherwise the filling might easily break through the dough), to flatten the pancake evenly.

  16. 13

    Sprinkle more sesame seeds over the top. With your fingers held together, gently press the surface with your fingertips to flatten the pancake a little further and make it thinner. Be gentle so the filling doesn’t break through the dough.

  17. 14

    Lightly brush one side of the pancake with oil.

  18. Cook the pancakes

  19. 15

    Heat a frying pan over medium heat. Place the pancake in the pan oiled-side down. Cook until the bottom is golden brown, then flip and cook the other side until golden brown and cooked through.

  20. 16

    Remove from the pan and serve hot. That’s it!

Chinese batch freezing