Air Fryer Recipe
Crispy Vegan Spring Onion Pancakes
These crispy vegan spring onion pancakes are a healthier twist on a classic Asian dish, perfect for air frying.
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup boiling water
- 1 cup finely chopped spring onions
- 1/4 cup sesame oil
- Salt to taste
- Optional: pinch of white pepper
Method
- Place flour in a large mixing bowl and gradually add boiling water, stirring until a rough dough forms.
- Knead the dough for about one minute, then transfer to a work surface and knead for 5-7 minutes until smooth and elastic.
- Cover the dough with a damp cloth and let it rest for 30 minutes.
- Divide the dough into four parts, roll each into a thin circle, brush with sesame oil, and sprinkle with spring onions and salt.
- Roll the dough into a cylinder, coil into a spiral, flatten, and roll into a pancake about 1/4 inch thick.
- Preheat air fryer to 180°C (356°F), brush pancakes with sesame oil, and air fry for 8-10 minutes, flipping halfway.
- Let pancakes cool, slice into wedges, and serve with dipping sauce.
Why this works in an air fryer
Boiling water partially gelatinises the flour starch and limits gluten toughness, giving a pliable dough that can be rolled thin. The sesame oil layer separates the coil into flaky sheets, while air-fryer convection drives off surface moisture quickly so the outside crisps before the spring onions scorch.
Equipment notes
Assumes a 5–6 litre basket holding one 18–20 cm pancake in a single layer; cook one at a time if needed. In a single-drawer air fryer, place the pancake centrally and flip once. In dual-zone models, the smaller drawers may need 1–2 minutes longer and a shake/rotation for even browning.
Common pitfalls
- Pancake is pale and leathery after 10 minutes: it is either rolled too thick or the surface is under-oiled; roll closer to 5–6 mm thick, brush lightly with sesame oil, and add 2–3 minutes.
- Edges brown but the centre stays doughy: the pancake is too large for the basket airflow; trim or make smaller pancakes so there is at least 1 cm clearance around the edge.
- Layers burst open with wet spring onion filling: the onions were chopped too large or overfilled; chop finely, use a thinner scatter, and pinch the cylinder seam before coiling.
- Pancake turns hard rather than crisp: the dough has dried during resting or rolling; keep unused dough covered with a damp cloth and brush the cooked pancake lightly with oil before reheating.
Variations & substitutions
- Use half plain flour and half bread flour for a chewier pancake; it may need an extra minute because the stronger dough holds moisture longer.
- Swap sesame oil for neutral oil if preferred; the layers still separate, but the flavour is milder and the surface may brown slightly less quickly.
- Add a thin sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds with the spring onions; watch the final 2 minutes as loose seeds can darken faster in the airflow.
- Add a pinch of chilli flakes or five-spice to the oil layer; spices brown on the surface, so keep the temperature at 180°C rather than increasing it.
Storage & reheating
Keep cooked pancakes chilled in an airtight container for up to 3 days, then reheat in the air fryer at 180°C for 3–5 minutes until hot and re-crisped.
Nutrition
Calories: 250
