Mandarin Pancakes

2 cups flour
3/4 cup boiling water
2 tablespoons sesame oil

1. Place flour in a bowl. Add boiling water, stirring with chopsticks or a fork until dough is evenly moistened. On a lightly floured board, knead dough until smooth and satiny, about 5 minutes. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes.

2. On a lightly floured board, roll dough into a cylinder; cut into 16 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a ball, then flatten slightly into a pancake. Brush top of each pancake with a light coating of sesame oil.

3. Place 1 pancake on top of a second pancake, oiled sides together. With a rolling pin, roll to make a circle 6 inches in diameter. Stack and roll remaining pairs of pancakes the same way.

Cover with a damp cloth to prevent drying.

Cooking:

1. Place a nonstick frying pan over lm heat until hot. Add 1 pair of pancakes and cook, turning once, until lightly browned and bubbles appear on the surface, about 2 minutes on each side. Remove from pan and separate into 2 pancakes while still hot. Stack cooked pancakes on a plate while cooking remaining pairs of pancakes.

2. Serve pancakes hot. If making ahead, reheat pancakes in a microwave oven or wrap in a clean dish towel and steam in a bamboo steamer for 5 minutes.