The cookbook author Grace Young learned to make these scallion pancakes from her mother, and the recipe first appeared in her book “The Wisdom of the Chinese Kitchen” (Simon & Schuster, 1999). They have the perfect blend of crispy flakiness and tenderness. The trick is a mix of boiling and cold water: The boiling water gives you a soft, malleable dough that is easy to work, the cold water just the right chewiness in the fried pancake. While some cooks spread a flour-water paste over the dough with the scallions for flakier layers, Ms. Young prefers brushing a thin and simple sheen of aromatic sesame oil. She also prefers these served without any dipping sauce: “Hot out of the wok, they don’t need anything,” she said. “They’re perfect the way they are.” —Rachel Wharton
