Asian Sensation

Sometimes words mean different things to different people. And sometimes words can go from meaning one thing to something completely different one day to the next.

I'm going to test you with one word now.

Oolong.

So what did you think of?

If you had asked me a few years ago, I might have responded immediately with tea! But over the last few years the word Oolong changed into something different.

What Oolong now means to mean is a little hard to describe, so here's a quick picture to show you.

Oolong, named after the tea, was the pet bunny of a Japanese photographer and he was often photographed with food items on his head. The pancake "head performance" is what made him famous!

To show my love for little Oolong (Asian Sensation Number 1), I'm making Green Onion Pancakes for breakfast (Asian Sensation Number 2).

Green Onion Pancakes

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour + a bit extra for rolling the pancakes out
1 teaspoon salt
1 bunch of green onions, minced
1 1/2 cups boiling water
Vegetable oil (for pan frying)

1. In a large bowl, combine flour and salt.

2. Add the scallions and boiling water. Stir to combine as soon as you pour the water.

3. Knead the dough until it's smooth, about 2-5 minutes, and then place it in a lightly oiled bowl to let rest at room temperature for about 2 hours.

4. Turn the rested dough out onto a lightly floured board and cut it into 8 even pieces.

5. Stretch each piece out into small circles, about 6 inches wide, just as you would make little pizzas.

6. Heat a little oil in a frying pan and cook until both sides of the pancake are browned, about 2 minutes total.

7. Blot with a paper towel and serve with other Dim Sum treats or use as a wrapper for Asian wraps.