Stuff Digital Edition

FAT glorious FAT

Sunday’s resident chef, Sam Mannering, wants to say sorry – but he’s apologising with something even more delicious.

CONG YOU BING

Believe it or not, I try to be humble when a recipe ain’t up to scratch.

Cong you bing, or spring onion pancakes, are an important part of Shanghainese cooking, on their own as a wee snack, or as part of a larger meal, or with yum cha. I fancy them as a prelude, an appetite whetter, dipped into a bit of salty soy or sharp black vinegar.

A few years ago I did a take on them. Concerned about the addition of pork lard, and how that would be received, I did a variation with sesame oil as a substitute. They were, in retrospect, thoroughly miserable; fine I guess as a vehicle for the cumin lamb which they were served with, but nowhere near as puffy or layered or crisp enough. Fat makes anything glorious, and I should have fearlessly espoused that from the beginning. I apologise sincerely for such culinary treachery, and thus make amends with a new recipe (delicious alongside your char kuey teow, by the way).

I reiterate, what makes these so impossibly delicious is the lard. There is no way you’re going to get such crispy, flaky, oily, flavoursome goodness. Go for a run if it worries you that much. Or don’t. I know I’ll just be reaching for another, myself.

PREP TIME: 40 MINUTES, PLUS 1 HOUR RESTING TIME COOK TIME: 0 MINUTES SERVES: 4-6

• cup pork lard

• 1 tsp sesame oil, plus extra for brushing

• 3 spring onions, finely sliced

• 1½ cups plain flour

• Large pinch of salt

• Vegetable oil

1. In a small pan, over a moderately high heat, add the lard and sesame oil and let it heat up. Add the sliced spring onion and fry quickly for several minutes until the spring onion is crisp and fragrant, and then remove from the heat and allow to cool for 5-10 minutes.

2. In a mixing bowl, combine the flour and salt, create a well in the centre and add half a cup of warm water. sing your hands, bring everything together into a soft dough.

3. Add the cooled spring onion mixture and work into the dough until it is completely incorporated.

4. Continue to knead for several minutes until it is elastic and smooth and is no longer sticky. Cover and leave to rest in a warm place for at least half an hour.

5. Turn the dough out onto a lightly oiled surface. Roll the dough out flat into a thin circle, brush with a little sesame oil, then roll the whole thing up into a log. Coil into a snail, then roll out again.

6. Repeat the process, but the second time, instead of coiling up into a snail, cut the log into scant 2.5cm wide pieces. Allow to rest for another 30 minutes.

7. Take the pieces of dough and roll out into flat circles.

8. et a frying pan going over a moderately high heat. Add a few tbsp of oil enough so that it is a few millimetres deep let it heat up and then fry the pancakes on both sides until crisp, puffy and golden brown. Take care not to let them burn. Transfer to paper towels to drain of excess oil as you do the others.

9. Serve while still hot, either torn up as pictured, or cut into wedges.

KAI / FOOD

en-nz

2022-09-25T07:00:00.0000000Z

2022-09-25T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://fairfaxmedia.pressreader.com/article/287797177175824

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