Crispy Bing Bread

Add flour into a large bowl.

Slowly add boiling water and mix the flour with a pair of chopsticks (or a spatula), until water is fully absorbed.

Slowly add room temperature water, continuing to mix, until water is fully absorbed and there is no dry flour on the bottom of the bowl.

Dust both hands with flour and start to knead the mixture, until dough forms. The dough should be quite sticky and difficult to lift from the bowl.

Dust a working surface (or a large cutting board) with flour. Transfer the dough to the working surface and knead for another 5 minutes.

Dust the same big bowl with flour and transfer the dough to the bowl. Cover the dough with a wet clean kitchen towel and place a lid on the bowl. Let rest for 1 hour.

Dust both hands and the working surface again with flour. Transfer the dough to the working surface.

Knead the dough for another 3 minutes, until the texture becomes smooth.

Divide the dough in half. Divide each half further into 4 equal pieces (*see footnote 2). Transfer half of the dough into the bowl and cover with the wet kitchen towel, to keep it from drying out.

Work on the dough pieces one at a time. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough into a thin rectangular sheet, about the thickness of a dollar coin. Lift up the thin sheet once in the middle of rolling, to prevent the dough from sticking to the working surface.

Brush a thin layer of oil on the dough. Evenly spread salt on top.

Fold the dough accordion-style back and forth, until the dough becomes a long strip. Flip the dough to let it stand, oiled side up. Tug and roll the dough from one end like a swirl, until it’s shaped like a snail shell. Set aside.

Continue to work on the rest of the dough pieces in the same way.

Heat a tablespoon of oil in a nonstick frying pan over medium heat until warm.

Press the dough until it’s shaped like a disk, about 0.6mm (1/5 inch) thick.

Place the dough in the frying pan. Grill each side for about 2 minutes, until both sides turns golden brown. If the frying pan starts to get too hot, turn to low heat. Transfer the bing bread to a plate. (*see footnote 3) Continue to press and cook the rest dough pieces.

Serve warm as a side.