Scallion Pancakes

Place the flour in a large bowl. Stir in boiling water until the dough forms a ball. Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead until it's smooth and elastic, four to six minutes. Place the dough ball in a large bowl, then cover and let it rest for 30 minutes. Editor's Tip: A pair of chopsticks is an excellent utensil for stirring the flour and water. If the dough doesn't form into a ball in the bowl, turn it onto the floured surface and gather it before kneading. The result should be soft and supple, like a baby's bottom, and slightly elastic. But it won't snap back like pizza dough.

Place the ball of dough onto a floured surface. Divide it into eight equal portions. Editor's Tip: Cut the dough into eight equal portions by cutting the ball in half, each piece in half, and each resulting piece in half. Cover the dough with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel to prevent it from drying out while you work.

Roll each portion of dough into an 8-inch circle. Brush each with 1/2 teaspoon of sesame oil; sprinkle with 1/8 teaspoon of salt and 1 heaping tablespoon of green onions. Roll each piece into a thin cylinder (jelly-roll style). Then, starting at one end, twist the cylinder onto itself to form a coil, like a snail shell. Pinch the end to seal. Using the palm of your hand, flatten it slightly. With a rolling pin, roll the coil into a circle with 1/8-inch thickness. Editor's Tip: Western rolling pins work just fine, but if you can get ahold of a Chinese rolling pin, you'll find it easier to work with. Chinese rolling pins look like fat 1-inch dowels and are much smaller and shorter, allowing for more control. Work with one portion of dough at a time, keeping the rest covered with a damp kitchen towel. The rolled disc doesn't have to be a perfect circle—a square works too and may even be easier as you won't lose as many scallions while rolling. Don't worry if some scallions break through the dough, but be gentle. You don't want to smush all those beautiful layers into one flat layer.

In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of canola oil over medium-high heat. Cook one pancake at a time until golden brown, two to three minutes on each side. Editor's Tip: Give the pan a swirl and flip the pancake occasionally for more even cooking. Press the center of the pancake down once or twice to ensure the middle cooks through. As with many other types of pancakes, you may need to regulate the heat by raising or lowering it to avoid burning them.

In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger, rice vinegar, sesame oil and red pepper flakes. Serve the dipping sauce with the pancakes. Editor's Tip: When the pancakes come out of the pan, you can skip the sauce and simply sprinkle them with salt! Cut them into wedges right before serving.