LINKDING

For the Pancakes: 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting work surface 1 cup boiling water Up to 1/4 cup toasted sesame seed oil 2 cups thinly sliced scallions salt For the Dipping Sauce: 2 tablespoons soy sauce 2 tablespoons Chinkiang or rice wine vinegar 1 tablespoon finely sliced scallion greens 1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger 2 teaspoons sugar To Cook: 1/4 cup vegetable oil Kosher salt Place flour in bowl of food processor. With processor running, slowly drizzle in about 3/4 of the boiling water. Process for 15 seconds. If dough does not come together and ride around the blade, drizzle in more water a tablespoon at a time until it just comes together. Transfer to a floured work surface and knead a few times to form a smooth ball. Transfer to a bowl, cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap, and allow to rest for 30 minutes at room temperature, or up to overnight in the fridge. Divide dough into four even pieces and shape each into a smooth ball. Working one ball at a time, roll out into a disk roughly 8-inches in diameter on a lightly floured surface. Using a pastry brush, paint a very thin layer of sesame oil over the top of the disk. Roll disk up like a jelly roll, then twist roll into a tight spiral, tucking the end underneath. Flatten gently with your hand, then re-roll into an 8-inch disk. Paint with another layer of sesame oil, sprinkle with 1/2 cup scallions, and roll up like a jelly roll again. Twist into a spiral, flatten gently, and re-roll into a 7-inch disk. Repeat steps two and three with remaining dough balls. In a small bowl, whisk together sauce ingredients and set aside at room temperature. Heat oil in an 8-inch nonstick, carbon steel, or cast-iron pan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Carefully slip pancake into hot oil. Cook, shaking pan gently, until first side is an even golden brown (about 2 minutes). Carefully flip with tongs (be careful not to splash the oil), and continue to cook, shaking pan gently, until second side is an even golden brown (about 2 minutes longer). Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Season with salt and cut into 6 wedges. Repeat with remaining 3 pancakes. Serve immediately with dipping sauce.

<blockquote>socca, a large chickpea pancake that Mark Bittman describes as “totally foolproof.” Head over to the New York Times for the full recipe, but it couldn’t be easier. Preheat your skillet in an oven heated to 450 F. Mix a cup of chickpea flour with a cup of warm water. Stir in some salt and pepper and a couple tablespoons of olive oil. Remove your heated skillet and (carefully) swirl some olive oil around in there. Fry onions and rosemary in your hot pan, and pour the batter directly on top. Bake it all together until set and then broil for gorgeous crispy spots.</blockquote>

1 stick unsalted butter 1 cup water 1 cup flour 3 eggs 1 cup grated parmesan, or to taste In a covered saucepot, bring the butter and water to a boil with a pinch of salt. When the water boils and the butter is fully melted, take the pan off the heat, and add in the flour. Return the pan to low heat, and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon for 30 to 45 seconds, or until the mixture comes together, and comes away from the sides of the pan. Turn the dough out into a large bowl (and soak that pot immediately). Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Allow the dough to cool for a few minutes (I time it to when the oven is heated). Then, adding one egg at a time, stir the eggs into the dough with a wooden spoon. It is vigorous work, but at the end, you will have a sticky dough. Stir in the cheese if desired. I often leave it out, with no ill effects. Use a medium-sized ice cream scoop (or a spoon and your hands) to make balls of the dough. Line them up on a no-stick or lined/greased baking sheet, leaving some room between them to allow them to puff up. Bake for 10 minutes at 400 degrees F. After 10 minutes, lower the heat to 350F, and bake another 35 to 40 minutes, until hard to the touch. Pull them out of the oven, and let them sit for 10 minutes on the baking sheet. Eat warm or at room temperature.

2 cups gram flour (chickpea flour) 1 teaspoon cracked/coarsely ground black pepper 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1⁄2 teaspoon salt 1 clove garlic, pressed 1⁄4 cup water 1 tablespoon water cayenne (for dusting tops) oil, for frying (optional) Stir together the flour, pepper, ground cumin seed, and salt in a large bowl or in the food processor; mix thoroughly until the spices are evenly distributed. Add the garlic and mix well. Add enough of the water to form a dough that will hold together in a cohesive ball; if necessary, add up to 1 additional tablespoon water. The dough should be fairly stiff and dry; if it is too wet, it will not roll well. Knead the dough for about 5 minutes by hand or pulse for about 15 seconds in the food processor; the dough should be smooth. With your hands, shape the dough into a cylinder or log about 2 inches thick and 6 inches long. With a sharp knife, cut the cylinder into 1/2-inch thick slices. The next step uses oil, so do not use your pastry cloth and rolling pin sleeve. Place each slice on a lightly oiled surface. Lightly oil the top of the slice and then roll out into a very thin circle about 6 or 7 inches in diameter. Papadams must be rolled extremely thin, maximum 1/16 inch. If the dough sticks to your rolling pin, gently pull it off. Dust the tops of each papadam with cayenne pepper. Using a metal spatula to loosen the edges of the papadams from the rolling surface, carefully place them on large baking sheets. The traditional method for preparing and frying papadams is described below; you can also bake them in a 300F oven for about 15 to 25 minutes, or until crisp and dry. The cooking time may vary beyond this range depending upon the thickness and moisture in the rolled dough. Cool them on a rack. To prepare the papadams in an authentic manner, don't bake them; first allow them to dry by leaving them in the sun for a few hours or by placing them in a very low oven (less than 200F) for 1 to 2 hours, turning occasionally. Dry the papadams until they are just slightly flexible and show no moisture; they should not brown or bake, however. At this point, the papadams may be stacked flat and stored in an airtight container until needed; they will keep for months if stored properly. When ready to serve, heat about 1/8 inch of oil in a large skillet; the oil should be hot, but not smoking; a drop of water flicked into the skillet should sizzle immediately. One at a time, drop the papadams into the hot oil. Turn the papadam when it begins to curl at the edges; it will quickly fry and become crisp. Remove it before it turns brown. Cool and drain the papadams on paper towels and eat them immediately.