Air Fryer Recipe
Crispy Vegan Spring Onion Pancakes
These crispy vegan spring onion pancakes are a lighter take on a classic Asian favourite, and they’re just right for the air fryer.
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
- Tip the flour into a large mixing bowl and slowly pour in the boiling water, stirring as you go until a rough dough comes together.
- Knead the dough for about one minute, then move it to a work surface and knead for 5-7 minutes, until it feels smooth and elastic.
- Cover the dough with a damp cloth and leave it to rest for 30 minutes.
- Divide the dough into four pieces, roll each one into a thin circle, brush with sesame oil, then scatter over the spring onions and salt.
- Roll the dough up into a cylinder, curl it into a spiral, flatten it down, then roll it into a pancake about 1/4 inch thick.
- Preheat the air fryer to 180°C (356°F), brush the pancakes with sesame oil, and air fry for 8-10 minutes, turning them halfway through.
- Let the pancakes cool slightly, 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
