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Shao Bing (Chinese Sesame Flat Bread)

written by Marvellina Updated: July 10, 2022
8.7K
PIN RECIPE COMMENTS VIEW RECIPE
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

Unleavened aromatic savory flatbread studded with sesame seeds on the outside and multiple flaky layers on the inside is popular street food and breakfast in Northern China and Taiwan. They are so delicious and go with many savory fillings or are great on their own.
Shao Bing (Chinese Sesame Flat Bread)

If you have not tried this Chinese shao bing before, I strongly encourage you to do so. These shao bing are really so good and they are made with ingredients that most people have in their pantries. These flatbreads are our family’s new favorite unleavened bread. They are not just flatbread. They are so aromatic thanks to the five-spice and sesame paste filling.

This is a savory shao bing

There are sweet shao bing and also savory shao bing. The savory shao bing are usually eaten with things like fried you tiao, braised beef, pork, smoked meat, etc. The sweet shao bing can be filled with brown sugar, honey, red bean paste, sweet black sesame paste, etc.
Shao Bing (Chinese Sesame Flat Bread)

How to make shao bing at home

1. Combine cake flour, sesame paste, five-spice powder and salt in a heat-proof bowl

2. Heat 1/8 cup of oil until it starts to smoke and immediately but carefully pour into the flour mixture you prepared. Stir into a smooth paste and set aside while you prepare other things


3. Combine cake flour, salt, sugar, and baking soda in a large mixing bowl

4. Gradually add in the hot water

hot boiling water


5. Stir with a wooden spatula until you get a mass of dough


6. Add 1 Tbsp of oil and start kneading until you can form a rather smooth dough. Transfer out to a work surface and knead again for another 5 minutes until you get a dough that is a bit smoother than before, slightly sticky to the touch (just a bit)


7. Put the dough back into the mixing bowl. Cover tightly and let it rest for 20 minutes. Do not skip this step

8. After the rest, transfer the dough to a work surface again and knead for another 3-5 minutes. You will have a smooth dough now

9. Return to a bowl again. Cover and rest one last time for another 20 minutes

10. Dust your work surface with all-purpose flour. Use a rolling pin and start rolling the dough out into a rectangle, about 1/3-1/2 cm in thickness. Roll it out as evenly as possible so the dough has the same thickness all around

11. Spread the filling all over the surface, leaving about 1/2-inch border on all side.

12. Then start rolling from the long side, like a Swiss roll. Be sure to roll tightly

13. Cut into 8 equal pieces using a serrated knife. Keep them covered and work with one dough at a time

14. Take one dough (seam side up) and flatten it slightly with your palm


15. Use a rolling pin and roll out from the middle all the way to the top.

How it looks like on the side

16. Then roll upwards tightly to form a cylinder

17. Rotate 90 degree

18. Roll out 1/3 from the top


19. Fold the other half over

20. Flip the other side up

21. Roll out 1/3 from the top then fold the other half over


22. Combine soy sauce and water in one bowl. Put raw sesame seeds in another bowl
Dip into soy sauce and then press into the sesame seeds

23. Put them on a baking sheet. Repeat with the rest of the dough and toppings. Cover with cling wrap and rest for 15 minutes. Preheat the oven to 475 F (246 C) for a conventional oven. For a convection oven, lower the temperature by about 20 degrees. Place a large baking sheet on the middle rack to let it preheat with the oven at the same time

24. Take the first dough you laminated, sesame seeds side down. Use a rolling pin to roll it out into roughly about 8 x 4 inches rectangle. Repeat with the rest of the dough

25. Remove the preheated baking sheet out and quickly arrange the flatbread, sesame seeds side down and return into the oven to let them bake for 10 minutes. Then flip them over, so the sesame seeds sides are up now. Then return to the oven and bake for another 4-6 minutes or until lightly golden brown


26. Remove from the oven and use a tong to transfer them to a cooling rack to let them cool down


27. Use a serrated knife to slice them in half horizontally. You can eat them plain, or serve them with a pair of you tiao (Chinese fried cruller), braised beef, smoked meats, or pretty much any savory filling of your choice

I have some leftover rotisserie chicken on hand and so I pulled and shredded the meat. Add some caramelized onion, some lettuce, and some chili sauce. Lunch was taken care of!

Shao Bing (Chinese Sesame Flat Bread)

I filled with leftover shredded rotisserie chicken, some lettuce, and caramelized onion

Did you make this Chinese shao bing recipe?

I love it when you guys snap a photo and tag to show me what you’ve made 🙂 Simply tag me @WhatToCookToday #WhatToCookToday on Instagram and I’ll be sure to stop by and take a peek for real!
Shao Bing (Chinese Sesame Flat Bread)

Did you make this shao bing recipe?

I love it when you guys snap a photo and tag to show me what you’ve made 🙂 Simply tag me @WhatToCookToday #WhatToCookToday on Instagram and I’ll be sure to stop by and take a peek for real!

The recipe is adapted from here

Shao Bing (Chinese Sesame Flat Bread)

Shao Bing (Chinese Sesame Flatbread)

Prep Time 30 minutes mins
Cook Time 15 minutes mins
Rest the dough 35 minutes mins
Total Time 1 hour hr 20 minutes mins
Servings 8 shao bing
5 from 3 reviews
REVIEW & RATE PRINT

Ingredients

Filling:

  • 50 gr cake flour or low-gluten flour
  • 20 gr sesame paste
  • ¼ tsp five-spice powder
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 20 gr hot oil

Dough:

  • 400 gr cake flour or low-gluten flour
  • ¾ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp sugar
  • ¼ tsp baking soda
  • 250 ml hot boiling water
  • 1 Tbsp Oil or as needed
  • All-purpose flour for dusting

Topping:

  • ⅓ cup soy sauce
  • 2 Tbsp water
  • ½ cup raw white sesame seeds or more as needed

Instructions
 

Prepare the filling:

  • Combine cake flour, sesame paste, five-spice powder and salt in a heat-proof bowl
  • Heat 1/8 cup of oil until it starts to smoke and immediately but carefully pour into the flour mixture you prepared. Stir into a smooth paste and set aside while you prepare other things

Prepare the dough:

  • Combine cake flour, salt, sugar, and baking soda in a large mixing bowl. Gradually add in the hot water while stirring with a wooden spatula until you get a mass of dough. Add 1 Tbsp of oil and start kneading until you can form a rather smooth dough. Transfer out to a work surface and knead again for another 5 minutes until you get a dough that is a bit smoother than before, slightly sticky to the touch (just a bit)
  • Put the dough back into the mixing bowl. Cover tightly and let it rest for 20 minutes. Do not skip this step
  • After the rest, transfer the dough to a work surface again and knead for another 3-5 minutes. You will have a smooth dough now. Return to a bowl again. Cover and rest one last time for another 20 minutes

Laminating:

  • Dust your work surface with all-purpose flour. Use a rolling pin and start rolling the dough out into a rectangle, about 1/3-1/2 cm in thickness. Roll it out as evenly as possible so the dough has the same thickness all around
  • Spread the filling all over the surface, leaving about 1/2-inch border on all side. Then start rolling from the long side, like a Swiss roll. Be sure to roll tightly. Cut into 8 equal pieces using a serrated knife. Keep them covered and work with one dough at a time
  • Take one dough and flatten it slightly with your palm. Use a rolling pin and roll out from the middle all the way to the top. Then roll upwards tightly to form a cylinder
  • Rotate 90 degree and roll out 1/3 from the top. Fold the other half over. Flip it up and roll out 1/3 from the top then fold the other half overand roll out 1/3 from the top then fold the other half over

Apply topping:

  • Combine soy sauce and water in one bowl. Put raw sesame seeds in another bowl
  • Dip into soy sauce and then press into the sesame seeds. Put on a baking sheet, topping side down. Repeat with the rest of the dough and toppings. Cover with cling wrap and rest for 15 minutes. Preheat the oven to 475 F (246 C) for a conventional oven. For a convection oven, lower the temperature by about 20 degrees. Place a large baking sheet on the middle rack to let it preheat with the oven at the same time

Shape into flatbread:

  • Take the first dough you laminated, sesame seeds side down. Use a rolling pin to roll it out into roughly about 8 x 4 inches rectangle. Repeat with the rest of the dough
  • Remove the preheated baking sheet out and quickly arrange the flatbread, sesame seeds side down and return into the oven to let them bake for 10 minutes. Then flip them over, so the sesame seeds sides are up now. Then return to the oven and bake for another 4-6 minutes or until lightly golden brown

Cooling:

  • Remove from the oven and use a tong to transfer them to a cooling rack to let them cool down

Serving suggestions:

  • Use a serrated knife to slice them in half horizontally. You can eat them plain, or serve with a pair of you tiao (Chinese fried cruller), braised beef, smoked meats, or pretty much any savory filling of your choice

RECOMMEDED TOOLS

digital kitchen scale
digital kitchen scale
Mixing Bowl
Baking sheets

*Nutrition facts are just estimates and calculated using online tools*

Nutrition Facts
Shao Bing (Chinese Sesame Flatbread)
Serving Size
 
1 flatbread without filling
Amount per Serving
Calories
323
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
11
g
17
%
Saturated Fat
 
2
g
13
%
Trans Fat
 
1
g
Polyunsaturated Fat
 
5
g
Monounsaturated Fat
 
4
g
Sodium
 
459
mg
20
%
Potassium
 
122
mg
3
%
Carbohydrates
 
46
g
15
%
Fiber
 
3
g
13
%
Sugar
 
1
g
1
%
Protein
 
9
g
18
%
Vitamin A
 
4
IU
0
%
Vitamin C
 
1
mg
1
%
Calcium
 
107
mg
11
%
Iron
 
2
mg
11
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Did you make this recipe?Let me know how you like this recipe and consider rating it! Tag me @whattocooktoday I'd love to see your photos/videos on Instagram

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5 from 3 votes (3 ratings without comment)

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