Flaky Meat Pancake
A crispy, aromatic Chinese street snack featuring layers of flaky pastry filled with spiced ground pork. The dough is lightly buttered and the filling is loaded with cumin, Sichuan pepper, and aromatic herbs.
Story
This beloved Wuhan snack gets its name from the crispy crumbs that fall off as you eat it. The key is in the lamination technique—brushing oil between layers creates those irresistible flaky textures.
Ingredients
self-rising flour
200g
unsalted butter, softened
30g
sugar
1 tablespoon
boiling water
120ml
ground pork
150g
green onions, finely chopped
3 stalks
garlic, minced
2 cloves
light soy sauce
1 tablespoon
ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon
Sichuan pepper powder
1/4 teaspoon
chili powder
1/4 teaspoon
ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon
cooking wine
1 tablespoon
vegetable oil
for brushing
Instructions
1
Make the dough
In a large bowl, combine flour and sugar. Pour in the boiling water while stirring with chopsticks or a fork until the mixture forms ragged snow-like flakes. Add the softened butter and knead until you get a smooth, pliable dough. Cover with a damp kitchen towel and let rest in a warm spot for 15 minutes.
2
Prepare the meat filling
While the dough rests, combine ground pork, green onions, garlic, soy sauce, pepper, Sichuan pepper powder, chili powder, cumin, and cooking wine in a bowl. Mix thoroughly until the filling becomes slightly sticky and well combined.
3
Shape and fill the pancakes
Divide the dough into 3 equal portions. Work with one portion at a time: roll it into a thin oval, spread one-third of the meat filling evenly across the surface, then brush lightly with oil. Roll the dough up like a jelly roll, then coil it into a spiral. Flatten gently with your palm and roll out into a thin circle about 6 inches wide.
4
Cook the pancakes
Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat. Add a splash of oil and place one pancake in the pan. Cook for 3-4 minutes until the bottom turns golden brown, then flip and cook another 3-4 minutes. Repeat with remaining pancakes. For extra crispiness, press down gently with a spatula while cooking.
