Chinese Sesame Scallion Flatbread (葱大饼 / Zhi Ma Da Bing)

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Ingredients

A. Dough

  • 390 g bread flour
  • 4 g instant yeast
  • 250 g warm water
  • 2 g salt (¼ tsp)
  • 20 g neutral oil

B. Scallion Paste (葱油酥)

  • 70 g oil (neutral; optional: add ½ tsp sesame oil at the end)
  • 60 g flour
  • 60 g finely chopped green onions
  • 4 g salt (or slightly more to taste)

C. Topping

  • Water (for brushing)
  • White sesame seeds

Instructions

1. Make the Dough

  1. Combine flour, yeast, warm water, salt, and oil in a mixer bowl.
  2. Knead with a KitchenAid dough hook for 8–12 minutes, until smooth, elastic, and forming a ball around the hook.
  3. Shape into a ball and return to the bowl.
  4. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel and rest 30 minutes.

2. Make the Scallion Paste

While the dough rests:

  1. Warm the oil slightly — just warm, not hot.

  2. Stir in the flour until a thick paste forms.

  3. Add chopped scallions and salt; mix well.

  4. Transfer to a bowl to cool.

    • Paste should be thick and spreadable, not runny.

3. Roll the Dough (First Time)

  1. Move dough to a lightly floured surface.
  2. Roll (or press) into a large rectangle, about ¼ inch (6–7 mm) thick.
  3. Cover and rest another 30 minutes.

4. Final Roll + Filling

After the second 30-minute rest:

  1. Roll the dough into a large, long, thin rectangle (⅛ inch / 3–4 mm).
  2. Spread the scallion paste evenly over the surface.
  3. Roll tightly from the long edge into a log.
  4. Coil the log into a spiral (snail shape).
  5. Flatten gently into a round pancake, about ½–¾ inch (1.5–2 cm) thick.
  6. Cover and let rest 1 hour.

5. Add Sesame Seeds

  1. Brush the top with a little water.
  2. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and press lightly so they stick.

6. Cook the Da Bing

  1. Heat a large pan over medium and add 1–2 tbsp oil.
  2. Place dough sesame-side up.
  3. Cook until the bottom is golden brown (3–5 min).
  4. Flip and brown the other side (3–5 min).
  5. Reduce heat to low, cover, and steam-cook for 10 minutes.
  6. Remove the lid, increase heat to medium, and crisp each side 2–3 minutes.
  7. Transfer to a cooling rack and rest 3–5 minutes before slicing.

Reheating

Best method:

  • Pan on medium-low, covered for 2–3 minutes
  • Uncover and crisp 1–2 minutes per side

Tastes almost freshly made.

Notes for Future Iteration

  • Roll thinner before adding paste → flakier layers
  • Increase scallion paste slightly for stronger swirl
  • Add more sesame seeds for bakery-style top
  • Use a slightly lower heat for the first browning if the dough is thicker

Modifications for Cooking at Altitude

For cooking at ~6,000 ft elevation (like Truckee), make these adjustments:

Ingredient Adjustments

  • Yeast: Reduce to 2.5 g (from 4 g) - yeast is more active at altitude
  • Water: Use 250-255 g (from 250 g) - only increase slightly if needed; too much makes sticky dough
  • Oil: Light sesame oil works well in place of neutral oil for subtle flavor

Timing Adjustments

  • Kneading: Full 8-10 minutes minimum - don't stop early even if dough balls up on hook
  • First rest: Check at 15 minutes (not 30) - look for slight spring-back when poked
  • Second rest: 15-20 minutes (not 30) - should feel relaxed and cooperative
  • Final rest: Check at 35-40 minutes (not 60) - should look noticeably puffed

Cooking Adjustments

  • Covered steam-cook: 11-12 minutes (instead of 10) - water boils at lower temp at altitude
  • All other cooking times remain the same

Key Principles

  • Trust the dough over the clock - yeast activity varies; use visual and tactile cues
  • Poke test is your friend: Slight spring-back with small indent = ready
  • Keep dough covered during all rests to prevent drying
  • Don't skip kneading time - proper gluten development is critical for structure

Most Recent Cook (December 2025, Truckee at 6,220 ft)

What I Did

Ingredients:

  • 3 g yeast (reduced from 4 g)
  • 260 g water (increased from 250 g)
  • Light sesame oil instead of canola oil

Process:

  1. Kneading: Only 5 minutes in KitchenAid
    • Dough balled up on hook early, then started sticking to bowl walls
    • Removed when still sticky
  2. First rest: 22 minutes in microwave next to warm water, covered
    • Poke test: No bounce-back (appeared over-proofed)
  3. Second rest: 18 minutes flat
    • Some parts sticky, some parts no bounce-back
  4. Final rest: 45 minutes
    • Looked more flat than sea level versions
  5. Cooking: Went well, no issues

Outcome

Da bing came out flatter and less spongy than sea level versions. Edible but lacking the characteristic airy, layered texture.

Second Attempt (January 2026, Truckee at 6,220 ft)

What I Did

Ingredients:

  • 3 g yeast (reduced from 4 g)
  • 260 g water (increased from 250 g)
  • Warmed bowl before mixing

Process:

  1. Kneading: 11 minutes in KitchenAid
    • Dough never balled up on hook
    • Remained sticky throughout kneading
    • Still sticky when removed from mixer

Outcome

Dough failed to develop proper structure during kneading despite extended time. The extra water (260 g vs. recommended 250-255 g) appears to be the culprit - even 11 minutes of kneading couldn't compensate for the excess hydration.

Key Takeaway

Water amount matters more than kneading time. 260 g is definitively too much for altitude conditions. The dough cannot develop proper gluten structure when it's over-hydrated, regardless of how long you knead it.

Recommendations for Next Time (Altitude)

Based on the outcome, here's what to adjust:

1. Knead Longer (Critical)

Do: Knead for full 8-10 minutes

  • The dough balling up on the hook early is normal - keep going!
  • Sticky dough after only 5 minutes indicates under-developed gluten
  • Under-kneaded dough = weak structure = flat final product

Why it matters: Proper gluten development is essential for the spongy, layered texture

2. Reduce Water

Do: Use 250-255 g water (not 260 g)

  • Combined with under-kneading, 260 g was too much
  • Start with 250 g; add 5 g more only if dough seems dry after 5 min kneading

3. Reduce Yeast Further

Do: Try 2.5 g yeast (not 3 g)

  • First rest showing no bounce-back at 22 min = over-proofed
  • Over-proofing weakens gluten structure → flat result

4. Adjust Rest Times

First rest:

  • Check at 15 minutes
  • Look for: slight spring-back when poked
  • If no spring-back, it's already over-proofed - proceed immediately

Second rest:

  • 15-20 minutes should be sufficient
  • Check for: relaxed dough that doesn't fight when rolling

Final rest:

  • Check at 35 minutes
  • Look for: noticeably puffed, soft and pillowy
  • If it looks flat, it may already be over-proofed

5. Diagnosis Summary

The flatness was likely caused by:

  1. Under-kneading (5 min vs. 8-10 min) → weak gluten structure
  2. Over-proofing (no bounce-back at 22 min) → exhausted yeast, broken down gluten
  3. Too much water (260 g) combined with under-kneading → sticky, weak dough

Fix all three and you should get the spongy texture back.

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