Soft, Multi-Layered Chinese Pan-Fried Flatbread That Stays Soft Even When Cool
烙饼不硬的小窍门 掌握了你也能看出柔软多层凉了不硬的小油饼 · northern cuisine · Northern
Many home cooks complain that their pan-fried flatbreads turn out dry and hard. The keys here are a soft dough (half boiling water, half cold water), a hot-oil flour paste for flaky layers, keeping the lid on throughout cooking, and using medium heat rather than low heat so the flatbread doesn't dry out. Cook each side only about a minute, flip as little as possible, and cover leftovers while still warm to keep them soft.
Maggie TranSecond-gen Vietnamese, first-gen meal prepper. I batch-cook pho broth monthly and I'm not sorry about the freezer situation. Ask me about fish sauce brands.Nutrition & allergens
Contains:Wheat
Some ingredients are not yet allergen-surveyed; this label is not exhaustive.
Per serving (4 servings)
- Energy (kcal)
- 380.1(Main ingredients only; seasoning not counted)
- Protein (g)
- 11.3(Main ingredients only; seasoning not counted)
- Fat (g)
- 1.1(Main ingredients only; seasoning not counted)
- Carbs (g)
- 79.5(Main ingredients only; seasoning not counted)
- Sodium (mg)
- 990.1(Main ingredients only; seasoning not counted)
Estimated from verified ingredient data for the original formula — not lab values, and one dish is not a full meal.
Techniques you'll use
- Pan-frying (jian) ↗
Sear food in a shallow layer of oil, one side at a time.
Steps
- 1
Step 1
Gather and measure all of the ingredients.
✅ Done when: All ingredients are measured and laid out on the counter.
- 2
Step 230 min
Add the salt to the flour, pour in 140 g of boiling water, then 140 g of cold water, and knead into a soft dough — a soft dough is the first key to a flatbread that doesn't turn out hard. Divide the dough into four portions, brush the surfaces with oil, cover with plastic wrap, and let rest for at least 30 minutes.
✅ Done when: The dough is soft and smooth, and has rested covered for at least 30 minutes.
- 3
Step 3
Make the oil paste: combine a tablespoon of flour with a teaspoon of salt, then pour hot oil over them and stir into a paste. The hot oil gives better layering and more fragrance.
✅ Done when: The flour, salt, and hot oil are blended into a smooth, pourable paste.
- 4
Step 410 min
Roll each rested piece of dough into a circle, spread on the oil paste, and cut one slit. Roll it up from one end of the slit to the other, pinch the side seam closed, gather the bottom closed, set the point facing up, and flatten with your palm. Rest for 10 minutes, then roll into a round flatbread.
✅ Done when: Each piece has rested 10 minutes after shaping and rolls out easily into a round flatbread.
Place the flatbread in an oiled, preheated pan over medium heat. Brush the top with oil to lock in moisture and cover with a lid to prevent drying. Cook about 1 minute until the first side is done, flip, and cook the second side about 1 minute more. Once both sides are cooked, remove it — don't let it linger in the pan or it will dry out and harden.
✅ Done when: Both sides are cooked through with light golden spots, after roughly 1 minute per side.
- 6
Step 6
The finished flatbread should be very soft with an evenly golden color.
✅ Done when: The flatbread is pliable and soft, with even, uniform browning on both sides.
- 7
Step 7
Fresh off the pan, the flatbread is crisp outside and soft inside; tear it open to reveal thin, flaky layers.
✅ Done when: Tearing the bread open shows thin, distinct layers inside.