I made this savory sauce pancake for my kids over the weekend—they went crazy for it! It’s a duplicate of the street food we used to get outside their school gate, and we’ve been craving it ever since the vendor stopped coming.
Trust me, it’s so delicious that the first pancake was gone before the second one was done. You have to try it!
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Why you’ll love this recipe
It’s a perfect copycat of the beloved school gate street food—crispy on the outside, soft inside, and bursting with savory sauce flavor.
The recipe is straightforward, no fancy skills needed. You can adjust the size to fit your pan, and it’s ready in under an hour. Kids absolutely adore it, and it’s great for a quick, satisfying breakfast or snack.
Ingredients
For the pancake dough
- 300g all-purpose flour
- 3g salt
- 180g warm water (around 40℃ / 104℉, not hot to the touch)
- Cooking oil (for pan-frying, as needed)
For the crispy oil paste
- 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp cooking oil
For the signature savory sauce
- 50g onion (roughly chopped)
- 50g garlic cloves (peeled)
- 1 tbsp broad bean paste
- 1 tbsp soybean paste
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1/2 bowl water (≈ 120ml)
- Cooking oil (for sautéing, as needed)
For garnish
- A pinch of white sesame seeds
- Chopped green onions (as needed)
Instructions
- Make and rest the dough: In a large bowl, combine 300g all-purpose flour and 3g salt, stir well with chopsticks. Gradually pour in 180g warm water (40℃), stirring constantly until the flour forms flocculent pieces with no dry flour left. Knead the mixture by hand for 2-3 minutes until a smooth dough forms. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a damp cloth and let the dough rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- Prepare the savory sauce: Add 50g chopped onion and 50g garlic cloves to a food processor and blend into fine mince (you can also chop them finely by hand). In a small bowl, mix 1 tbsp broad bean paste, 1 tbsp soybean paste, 1 tbsp tomato paste, and 1/2 bowl water until fully combined and diluted. Heat an appropriate amount of cooking oil in a pan over low heat. Add the onion and garlic mince, sauté for 1 minute until fragrant (be careful not to burn them). Pour in the diluted sauce, turn to medium-low heat, and simmer for 1-2 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly. Turn off the heat and set the sauce aside.
- Make the crispy oil paste: In a small bowl, mix 1 tbsp all-purpose flour and 1 tbsp cooking oil with chopsticks until a thick paste forms (it should cling to the chopsticks without dripping).
- Shape the pancake: After resting, take out the dough. If your pan is small, divide the dough into 2 portions (I made 2 pancakes for my pan); if using a large pan, use the whole dough. Roll one portion of the dough into a round sheet (thickness as desired, not too thin to avoid breaking during pan-frying). Evenly spread the crispy oil paste over the entire surface of the dough sheet (make sure every corner is covered for flaky layers). Use a knife to cut the dough sheet into a rice-pattern (crosses and diagonals), but leave one large section uncut (this will be used to wrap the dough later—do not cut the entire sheet into small pieces). Fold the small cut sections toward the center of the dough. Finally, use the reserved large section to wrap the entire folded dough tightly, pinching the seams to seal. Press the wrapped dough flat with your palm, then roll it into a round pancake that fits the size of your pan (roll gently to avoid damaging the layers).
- Pan-fry the pancake: Preheat a pan to around 190℃ (if you don’t have a thermometer, you’ll feel obvious heat when holding your hand above the pan). Place the pancake into the pan. Fry for 1-2 minutes until the bottom is set and slightly golden. Spray a thin layer of cooking oil on the surface of the pancake, then flip it with a spatula. Continue frying for 2-3 minutes, flipping 1-2 more times, until the pancake is fully cooked (press the center of the pancake with a spatula—if it springs back quickly, it’s done). For the last flip, evenly spread the prepared savory sauce over the surface of the pancake. Sprinkle with a pinch of white sesame seeds and chopped green onions. Fry for another 30 seconds to let the sauce soak in and the sesame seeds release their aroma. Turn off the heat, transfer the pancake to a plate, cut into small pieces, and serve immediately.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Why is the water temperature important for the dough? A: Water around 40℃ helps the flour absorb moisture better, making it easier to knead into a smooth dough. It also won’t damage the gluten in the flour, which ensures the right texture of the pancake—soft inside and easy to roll without breaking.
- Can I adjust the ratio of the crispy oil paste? A: The 1:1 ratio (1 tbsp flour to 1 tbsp oil) is perfect. If the paste is too thin, it won’t create flaky layers; if too thick, it will be hard to spread evenly. You can increase or decrease the amount according to this ratio if needed.
- What if I don’t have a food processor for the onion and garlic? A: You can chop them finely by hand. The finer the mince, the more fragrant they will be when sautéed—just take a little extra time to chop them well.
- How to tell if the pancake is fully cooked? A: Press the center of the pancake with a spatula. If it springs back quickly, it’s fully cooked. If an indentation remains, continue frying for another 30 seconds to 1 minute.
- Can I adjust the flavor of the sauce? A: Yes! If you like it spicy, add 1 tbsp chili powder when sautéing the onion and garlic. If you’re making it for kids who don’t like too much salt, reduce the amount of broad bean paste slightly. You can also add a pinch of sugar to balance the saltiness if desired.
- Why does the pancake need to be eaten hot? A: The pancake is crispy on the outside and soft inside when hot. It will harden as it cools, which greatly affects the texture. If you have leftovers, reheat them in a pan over low heat with a little oil to restore crispness (avoid microwaving, which makes it soggy).
Homemade Savory Sauce Pancake (Street Food Duplicate)
I made this savory sauce pancake for my kids over the weekend—they went crazy for it! It’s a duplicate of the street food we used to get outside their school gate, and we’ve been craving it ever since the vendor stopped coming.Ingredients
For the pancake dough
- 300 g all-purpose flour
- 3 g salt
- 180 g warm water around 40℃ / 104℉, not hot to the touch
For the crispy oil paste
- 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp cooking oil
- For the signature savory sauce
- 50 g onion roughly chopped
- 50 g garlic cloves peeled
- 1 tbsp broad bean paste
- 1 tbsp soybean paste
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1/2 bowl water ≈ 120ml
- Cooking oil for sautéing, as needed
For garnish
- A pinch of white sesame seeds
- Chopped green onions as needed
Instructions
- Make and rest the dough: In a large bowl, combine 300g all-purpose flour and 3g salt, stir well with chopsticks. Gradually pour in 180g warm water (40℃), stirring constantly until the flour forms flocculent pieces with no dry flour left. Knead the mixture by hand for 2-3 minutes until a smooth dough forms. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a damp cloth and let the dough rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- Prepare the savory sauce: Add 50g chopped onion and 50g garlic cloves to a food processor and blend into fine mince (you can also chop them finely by hand). In a small bowl, mix 1 tbsp broad bean paste, 1 tbsp soybean paste, 1 tbsp tomato paste, and 1/2 bowl water until fully combined and diluted. Heat an appropriate amount of cooking oil in a pan over low heat. Add the onion and garlic mince, sauté for 1 minute until fragrant (be careful not to burn them). Pour in the diluted sauce, turn to medium-low heat, and simmer for 1-2 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly. Turn off the heat and set the sauce aside.
- Make the crispy oil paste: In a small bowl, mix 1 tbsp all-purpose flour and 1 tbsp cooking oil with chopsticks until a thick paste forms (it should cling to the chopsticks without dripping).
- Shape the pancake: After resting, take out the dough. If your pan is small, divide the dough into 2 portions (I made 2 pancakes for my pan); if using a large pan, use the whole dough. Roll one portion of the dough into a round sheet (thickness as desired, not too thin to avoid breaking during pan-frying). Evenly spread the crispy oil paste over the entire surface of the dough sheet (make sure every corner is covered for flaky layers). Use a knife to cut the dough sheet into a rice-pattern (crosses and diagonals), but leave one large section uncut (this will be used to wrap the dough later—do not cut the entire sheet into small pieces). Fold the small cut sections toward the center of the dough. Finally, use the reserved large section to wrap the entire folded dough tightly, pinching the seams to seal. Press the wrapped dough flat with your palm, then roll it into a round pancake that fits the size of your pan (roll gently to avoid damaging the layers).
- Pan-fry the pancake: Preheat a pan to around 190℃ (if you don’t have a thermometer, you’ll feel obvious heat when holding your hand above the pan). Place the pancake into the pan. Fry for 1-2 minutes until the bottom is set and slightly golden. Spray a thin layer of cooking oil on the surface of the pancake, then flip it with a spatula. Continue frying for 2-3 minutes, flipping 1-2 more times, until the pancake is fully cooked (press the center of the pancake with a spatula—if it springs back quickly, it’s done). For the last flip, evenly spread the prepared savory sauce over the surface of the pancake. Sprinkle with a pinch of white sesame seeds and chopped green onions. Fry for another 30 seconds to let the sauce soak in and the sesame seeds release their aroma. Turn off the heat, transfer the pancake to a plate, cut into small pieces, and serve immediately.
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