Chinese scallion pancakes

Mix bread flour and salt, make a well and pour in very hot but not quite boiling water; stir with a wooden spoon to a shaggy dough.

Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead a couple of minutes to a very sticky but smooth and elastic ball, using the bare minimum of extra flour or the texture suffers.

Wrap in plastic and rest overnight in the fridge, or a couple of hours on the counter.

In a pan over medium heat, mix vegetable oil, sesame oil and a little flour; once it starts bubbling cook exactly one minute more, then turn off and cool to room temperature.

Cut the dough in half, roll each half into a tube, press it down, then roll out to about an eighth of an inch thick; the thinner it is rolled the more layers the pancake has.

Brush the oil flour mixture over the whole surface, leaving about an inch bare all the way round; enough to cover, not puddles.

Scatter the scallions generously, with red pepper flakes if wanted.

Roll the dough up tightly so no large air bubbles are trapped, tugging it back a little as you roll, then stretch the excess over the top and seal along the length.

Coil the rope up from one end, tuck the excess underneath, dust with flour and roll out to about a quarter inch thick.

Heat a cast iron pan on high with a couple of tablespoons of oil, place the pancake in, drop to medium and cook about four minutes per side, adjusting the heat so the outside does not blacken before the inside cooks.

Remove to a cutting board and chop up with a cleaver; serve with the dipping sauce.