In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, add the 1½ cups flour. With the mixer on low speed, slowly stream in the boiling water. Periodically stop the mixer and use a rubber spatula to push the flour toward the center of the bowl, until the dough hook has worked in all the flour. When a shaggy dough has formed, gradually add the cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, just until the dough lifts off the sides of the bowl. Give the dough about 1 minute to absorb the liquid after each addition of water. Transfer the dough to a clean surface and knead by hand for 5 minutes, until soft and smooth. If the dough is sticky or tacky, add more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough smooths out. Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces and form each piece into a smooth ball. Brush the dough balls with a little oil to prevent them from drying out, then cover them with an overturned bowl. Let rest at room temperature for 45 to 60 minutes.

To test if the dough is properly relaxed, use your palm to flatten a dough ball. If the dough stays flat and doesn’t bounce back, it’s ready to be rolled. (Be patient because relaxed dough will be easier to work with and yield a softer pancake.) Brush a clean work surface and a rolling pin lightly with oil. Transfer a dough ball to the oiled surface and roll it out into a thin 4 by 9-inch rectangle. Brush it with a thin layer of oil and sprinkle it evenly with a pinch of salt (about ⅛ teaspoon) and 2 tablespoons of the chopped scallions. Roll the pancake lengthwise into a tight, long cigar with the seam side up. Press the seam closed so no scallion bits are poking out. Roll the tube up into a spiral—like a snail shell—to form a disc. Tuck the loose ends under the disc, then brush the top with some oil and repeat these steps with the remaining 7 dough balls, oiling the work surface and rolling pin as needed. Finally, roll each disc into a pancake 4 to 5 inches in diameter. (A 4-inch pancake will be thicker and chewier; a 5-inch pancake will be flatter and crispier.)

Heat a large cast-iron pan or nonstick pan over medium heat. (If using cast iron, preheat until it just starts to smoke; if using a nonstick pan, simply heat it until hot.) Add 2 to 3 tablespoons oil, or enough to coat the bottom of the pan in a generous layer (to get even coloring and crispy results.) Add 2 pancakes at a time to the pan, and cook each side for 3 to 4 minutes, until they’re an even golden brown. Repeat with the remaining three batches of pancakes. (Don’t be tempted to rush the process; higher heat levels will burn the pancakes before the dough cooks through!)