Vegan Scallion Pancake Rolls

This month’s Taiwanese recipe available exclusively in our October 31st newsletter is Vegan Scallion Pancake Rolls. Combine a rich pan-fried scallion pancake with the filling of your choice for a simple hearty snack or meal in a traditional Taiwanese fashion. Go light and fill them with fresh salad or try something more substantial and throw in your favorite tofu, seitan or vegan omelette. The scallion pancakes hold up well for whatever filling you choose and are a wonderful vessel for delivering Taiwanese deliciousness.

Scallion pancakes are one of my favorite snacks in Taiwan. They’re available in the freezer at any Taiwanese grocery store and are on the menu at most Taiwanese restaurants. There are two distinct varieties of the pancake though. One is the lighter, flakier version that falls apart and is occasionally served shredded; the other is the slightly more substantial version with a tighter dough that is often served sliced or used as a wrap. This month our exclusive newsletter recipe will be for the latter – be sure to subscribe so you can see how we’ve taken the scallion pancake and used it to prepare our fresh salad Scallion Pancake Rolls.

Scallion Pancake Rolls, often filled with shredded beef, are a popular and hearty little snack in Taiwan. Vegetable filled versions are occasionally available but one must be cautious since a scallion pancake isn’t always vegan – lard may be used in traditional kitchens or recipes. Our recipe for these vegan Scallion Pancake Rolls is inspired by a recent trip to Hoshina, the ever-popular entirely vegetarian Japanese noodle shop in Taipei. While the restaurant is Japanese and the chef is Taiwanese, the Scallion Pancake Roll is an entirely Taiwanese dish. What we appreciate about the version at Hoshina is their use of crisp, fresh vegetables and a smear of miso paste on the inside for the salty, umami complexity that provides some depth of flavor.

Preparing scallion pancakes in a cast iron pan will produce the best results. The dough can be saved, uncooked, in the fridge or freezer and the pancakes are always best when freshly cooked. Once rolled up, a Scallion Pancake Roll can be sliced into small pieces, in half or enjoyed whole like a wrap.

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