Cong You Bing

Whenever I imagined “cong you bing”, I pictured it spelled “tsong yo bing”. I guess that’s why I’m a waiguoren.

(Below is the direct transcription from a conversation with Mom on how to properly make a scallion pancake; includes interpreted and exact quotes.)

Get bing.
Roll flatter.
Spread vegetable oil thinly on just the surface of bing.
Sprinkle additional finely chopped scallions and a small, 2-finger pinch of salt.
Then roll it up, and coil around itself, with “open edge facing inside.”
Squash flat. And then you reflatten. If it’s sticking, add oil (not flour), and probably roll between wax paper or parchment paper (“know that bits of scallion will ooze out. That’s okay. But try to do it gently so it’s not just a total mess of scallion oozing”).
Get a teflon pan.
Bring pan to medium-low heat with a little bit of oil in the pan, and “you know, put your little cong you bing in there.”
Brown on one side and flip.
They will not be evenly browned: “it’s just the nature of the beast.”
Cut into 8.