In a large mixing bowl, beat water and egg together until evenly mixed.  Add flour and salt and beat until a smooth batter forms. Fold in scallions or chives, and chiles if using, then set aside. Note: The egg should be beaten in the water to avoid a clumpy batter.

Fry the cakes

Heat up a large skillet or griddle pan over medium-high heat, adding enough oil to just cover the bottom of the cooking surface — about two tablespoons.

When the oil begins to shimmer, pour in all of the batter, helping it to spread out evenly with a spoon so that it forms a large pancake that’s just thick enough to hold some flaked fish in place. Don’t worry if the pancake isn’t perfectly round: Just eyeball everything, aiming for a relatively even thickness.

Add fish to the top of the pancake, arranging it evenly and nestling it into the batter while the batter is still raw. Keep in mind that you’ll want this side of the pancake to lay flat once you flip it, so try to press the seafood down so that it’s just even with the batter. (You could also simplify by throwing your seafood in with the batter — try both ways and see what works best for you).

Allow the first side of the pancake to cook until it’s nice and golden with a crispy crust, taking a peek beneath it by lifting with a spatula. If it looks like it’s picking up too much color — again, you want golden, not blackened — your pan is too hot, so lower the heat and slide the pan over to a cool burner for a moment.

After about 5 minutes, carefully flip the pancake using a spatula or two. It’s a large pancake, but the scallions and seafood help give it some structure so that it is less apt to fall apart. If it breaks apart, don’t stress. Just rearrange it in the pan; the uncooked batter may very well glue it back together once it cooks.

Add another tablespoon or so of oil around the edges of the pancake once the second side just begins to set, lifting the pancake so that the oil can make its way beneath. Give the pan a shake to help distribute the oil evenly.

Allow the pancake to cook for another 5 minutes, then transfer to a cutting board.

To serve

Cut into 6 pie-shaped pieces and serve immediately alongside a fresh salad, with soy sauce or a sriracha mayo for dipping.