Xizhou Crispy Pancake

Xizhou Crispy Pancake

　　Crispy on the outside, soft and fragrant inside, available in both savory and sweet flavors, suitable for breakfast or as part of a main meal.

The Xizhou Crispy Pancake is made by mixing refined flour in a basin with water and baking powder to form a dough. After resting briefly, the dough is kneaded thoroughly on a board, rolled into a sheet, sprinkled with fine salt (or sugar), brushed with a layer of cooked lard, then rolled back into a long strip. It is then divided into portions, rolled into round pancakes. A flat-bottomed, flat-lidded pan is brushed with vegetable oil and placed over chestnut charcoal fire. When the oil begins to smoke, the round pancake is placed at the bottom of the pan, and a flat pan lid heated by chestnut charcoal is placed on top. Both the top and bottom are heated by the chestnut charcoal fire, ensuring even cooking. When the pancake is about 60% cooked, the lid is removed, the pancake is flipped, and the lid is placed back on until fully cooked and ready to eat. The finished product features a golden color, with a fragrant, crispy, fluffy, and sweet (or savory) taste, rich yet not greasy, enjoyable hot or cold, and convenient to carry....