Spring onion pancakes (Cong you bing)

1. Pour half the water hot and half cold into the flour and knead with a pinch of salt into a smooth, soft dough; cover and rest for 30 minutes.

2. Thinly slice the spring onions. In a small bowl mix 2 tablespoons of oil with 1 tablespoon of flour, the salt and the white pepper.

3. Divide the dough into 4 and roll each piece into a thin sheet about 25 cm across; brush with the oil and flour mixture and sprinkle with spring onions.

4. Roll the sheet up tightly like a cigar, then coil the rope into a snail and tuck the end underneath; rest for 5 minutes.

5. Gently flatten the coils into pancakes 15-18 cm across and fry in the remaining oil in a frying pan over medium heat for 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown.

6. At the end of frying, push the pancake together from the edges with two spatulas so the layers open up, and serve cut into wedges.

Tip: The scalded dough makes it both crisp and chewy, and the coiling makes it flaky. Dip it in a soy and vinegar sauce, or add a beaten egg as they do in Shanghai.