Szechuan Peppercorn Pancakes

A peppery Szechuan pancakes recipe – a Chinese classic Chuck style.

 

Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Inactive Prep Time: 2 hrs
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

  • Pekin duck meat and skin
  • For the Szechuan peppercorn pancakes:
    • 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour  (430 ml)
    • 1 teaspoon salt (5 ml)
    • 1 teaspoon crushed Szechuan peppercorns (5 ml)
    • 1 1/2 cup boiling water (375 ml)
    • 1 scallion, minced
  • For the garnish:
    • 4 scallions, cut in thin strips
    • 1 cucumber, seeded and cut in thin strips
    • Duck meat, shredded
    • Duck skin, cut in strips
    • Hoisin sauce for garnish

Method

  1. For the pancakes: In a large bowl, mix the flour with the salt and the Szechuan peppercorns.  Add the scallions.  Add the boiling water slowly and begin stirring it in immediately.  Knead the warm dough until it’s smooth.  Place the dough ball in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for at least 2 hours at room temperature.
  2. Turn the rested dough out onto a floured surface and divide into 8 equal parts. With a lightly floured rolling pin, roll each piece out until it’s a 1/4-inch thick. Use a cookie cutter to cut out 5-inch circles of dough or just cut them out using a knife. With a damp towel, cover the prepared pancakes to keep them from drying out while making the rest. For best results, layer the pancakes on pieces of parchment paper to keep them from sticking.Heat vegetable oil in a heavy frying pan over low heat. Add the pancakes and cook until browned on both sides (about 2 minutes altogether; the second side will cook more quickly than the first side).  Continue with the remainder of the pancakes, placing the cooked ones on a tray lined with paper towel to absorb some of the oil.
  3. Remove the duck meat from the fridge and chop it up into strips. To crisp up the duck skin, sauté in a pan on medium heat until crispy, about 2 minutes (do not add oil). Once cooked, place the skin on a paper towel to absorb excess oil.
  4. For Serving: Top the pancakes with the reserved shredded duck meat, garnish with crispy duck skin, scallions, cucumbers and hoisin sauce.