Apparently these pancakes are normally made with soi guah or "water squash". These squash are not commonly available in North America, so the author suggests zucchini as a substitute. She says that relatively small zucchini, around 15cm (6") long are best.

I found the insturctions for how to cut the zucchini for this recipe a little odd: 1cm discs cut into 5mm sticks? We did it this way, but it made for very awkward, chunky pancakes. I think I'd prefer smaller pieces in the future. I think I might try 5mm by 5mm or even 3mm by 5mm sticks next time.

Squash Pancakes

Slightly adapted from Mastering the Art of Chinese Cooking by Eileen Yin-Fei Lo

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp. dry-roasted, unsalted peanuts
• 1 1/2 c. 5mm thick zucchini slices, cut into 5mm sticks
• 3 Tbsp. scallions, sliced
• 1 large egg
• 1 Tbsp. ligh soy sauce
• 1/2 Tbsp. Shaoxing wine
• 4 1/2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp. sugar
• 1/8 tsp. white peppercorns, ground
• 2-4 Tbsp. oil, for frying

Directions

1. Crush or finely chop the peanuts.
2. Combine peanuts, zucchini, scallions, egg, soy sauce, wine, flour, sugar, and white pepper and mix well.
3. Heat wok over high heat for ~1 minute.
4. Add 2 Tbsp. oil and use a spatula to coat the wok with it.
5. Pour batter into the oiled wok and swirl it around to keep the pancake moving and prevent it from sticking.
6. Cook for 2-3 minutes, swirling or shaking the wok frequently to prevent sticking.
7. Slide the pancake onto a plate and then invert it onto a second plate.
8. Slide the pancake back into the wok, cooked-side-up.
9. Reduce heat to medium and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
10. Add additional oil as needed.
11. Pancake is donw when zucchini is softened and cooked through and golden-brown on both sides.
12. Cut into wedges and serve.