Green scallion pancakes

Trim and separate the green parts from the white parts of the spring onions. Reserve the whites for the filling. Finely slice both. Place the green parts in a large jug and pour 250ml of boiling water over them. Allow to stand for 30 seconds. Drain and refresh in iced water to cool. Drain and squeeze out excess water. Using a food processor or blender, blitz the blanched greens into a smooth paste. Set aside 4 tablespoons for the dough.

In a large bowl, mix 315g flour and 1 tsp salt. Gradually pour the boiling water over the flour, stirring constantly with chopsticks or a wooden spoon. Add the cool water and the spring onion paste. Knead until a shaggy dough forms. If the dough is too dry, add more cool water, a teaspoon at a time. Transfer the dough to a work surface and knead until smooth, approx. 4 minutes. Coat your hands with a little vegetable oil (3 tbsp) and lightly coat the dough ball. Place the dough in a bowl, cover with cling film, and let it rest for at least 1 hour at room temperature (or up to 24 hours in the refrigerator).

Mix 60g flour, ½ tsp salt and five-spice powder in a small heatproof bowl.

Heat 4 tbsp oil in a small pan over a medium heat until hot. Add the finely chopped reserved spring onion whites and stir-fry quickly. Then stir it into the flour mixture to form a smooth paste. Let it cool slightly.

Divide the dough into 4 equal portions (130g each). Roll each into a smooth ball. Working with one ball at a time, roll the dough into a thin rectangle (approx. 25cm x 30cm) on an oiled surface. Spread 1½ tablespoons of the filling evenly over the dough. Roll the dough tightly into a log, then coil it like a snail shell. Flatten the coil slightly and set aside. Repeat with the remaining dough balls. Let the coiled dough rounds rest for 20 minutes.

Heat a large nonstick or cast-iron pan over a medium heat until hot. Add 2 tablespoons of oil and heat until shimmering. Roll out one dough coil into a ½cm thick pancake, approx. 20cm wide. Place it in the pan and cover with a lid. Fry for 2-3 minutes until golden and crisp. Uncover, flip the pancake and fry for a further 2-3 minutes. Add more oil, if needed. Repeat with the remaining pancakes.

Serve the warm scallion pancakes with a dip of your choice.