A few weeks ago I bought an extra-large jar of sesame seeds when what I really needed was sunflower seeds.

Don’t laugh; it happens.

So I’ve been poking around, looking for bulk uses for a quantity of sesame seeds that normally would last me a couple of years. I was told it was a quest worth sharing because for the average home cook, buying even the smallest packet of sesame seeds for a recipe still results in considerable leftovers.

I made sesame cookies (pretty good), a sesame crust for a cheesecake (not good) and still had half a jar to go. Then I hit on these Chinese-style savory pancakes.

The simple flour-and-water recipe that I started with yielded sesame hockey pucks, but success came with some sifting and the addition of salt and baking powder.

These crisp-on-the-outside, chewy-on-the-inside pancakes would be a nice addition to your next Chinese meal and would use up the sesame seeds you bought to sprinkle over the stir-fry.

SESAME-SCALLION PANCAKES

• 2 cups flour, plus more to dust workspace
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup vegetable oil, divided
• 1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds
• 1 cup sliced scallions (green onions)

Sift flour, salt and baking powder into a medium mixing bowl. Slowly add water, stirring until dough comes together and pulls away from sides of bowl (you might not need all the water).

Turn dough onto a workspace lightly dusted with flour. Knead about 20 times, using more flour as needed to prevent sticking, until dough forms a soft, smooth ball. Cover and let sit a few minutes (while you clean up the mess you’ve made so far).

Divide dough in half. Dust workspace and rolling pin lightly with flour. Roll first half of dough out to a rough circle, about 9 inches across, 1/8-inch thick.

Use fingers to coat surface lightly with oil. Top with 2 tablespoons sesame seeds and 1/2 cup green onions. Roll up like a sushi roll (see photo above left).

With seam side down, cut roll into 8 pieces. Turn each piece so one of the cut sides is up and press flat with your palm, then roll out into a thin disc about 3 inches across.

Repeat with second half of dough to make a total of 16 pancakes.

Pour 2 tablespoons oil into a 10- to 12-inch skillet; heat over medium-high until a piece of dough dropped into oil sizzles. Carefully add 3 to 4 pancakes to pan and fry until top bubbles and bottom is light brown.

Turn and fry until browned on the other side. Remove to a paper-towel-lined plate. Repeat with remaining pancakes, adding oil to the pan each time.

Serve immediately. Makes 16 pancakes.

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Approximate nutritional information, per pancake: 160 calories, 12 g total fat, 1.5 g saturated fat, no cholesterol, 200 mg sodium, 13 g carbohydrate, no fiber or sugar, 2 g protein.

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