Chinese breakfast pancakes jianbing with egg and scallions Recipe
Jianbing is one of the most popular street breakfasts in northern China. It’s a thin crepe-like pancake fried with egg, sprinkled with scallions and crunchy add-ins. At home you can make it in a regular pan and eat it as a hearty breakfast crepe – something between a Polish naleśnik and a tortilla with egg.
This homemade jianbing brings the flavor of Chinese street breakfasts into your kitchen, using simple ingredients and a regular pan while keeping the characteristic combination of egg, herbs, sauce, and crunch.
Chef's tips
Make the batter quite thin so the pancakes come out delicate and flexible. Work quickly when spreading the batter and egg so they cook evenly. Adjust the amount of chili to your taste and don’t skip the crunchy element – it’s key to the typical jianbing texture.
How to serve
Serve jianbing hot, straight from the pan, folded or rolled for easy eating. Pair with green tea, jasmine tea, or soy milk. For a more substantial meal, add ham, cheese, or extra vegetables inside and serve with a simple cucumber salad.
Ingredients
- flour - 120 g
- wholemeal flour or light rye flour for flavor; can be replaced with wheat flour - 40 g
- water for the batter - 260 ml
- eggs 3 for the pancakes, 1 for brushing - 4 piece
- spring onion chopped - 4 piece
- fresh coriander optional, chopped - 1 handful
- sauce sweet-salty sauce; can be replaced with a mix of soy sauce and a bit of honey - 3 tablespoons
- hot chili paste or chili sauce optional, to taste - 1 tablespoon
- crispy bread such as crackers or thin dry roll crushed; traditionally crispy you tiao sticks are used - 3 piece
- oil for frying - 2 tablespoons
- salt for the batter - 0.5 teaspoons
Preparation
- Put both flours and the salt into a bowl. Gradually pour in the water, whisking constantly until you get a smooth, thin crepe batter without lumps. Set aside for 10 minutes.
- Beat three eggs in a small bowl with a fork. Chop the spring onion and coriander.
- In a small bowl, mix the hoisin sauce with the hot chili paste, if using. Taste and adjust the heat level to your liking.
- Heat a non-stick pan (about 24 cm) over medium heat. Lightly brush with oil.
- Pour a portion of the batter onto the pan (about 1 ladleful) and quickly swirl the pan so it spreads into a thin crepe. Fry for 1–2 minutes, until the top is set and the bottom is lightly golden.
- Pour part of the beaten egg (about 1/3 of the portion) over the pancake and spread it in a thin layer over the whole surface. Sprinkle with some of the chopped spring onion and coriander. Fry for another 1 minute, until the egg is set.
- Carefully flip the pancake so that the egg is on the bottom. Fry for another 30–60 seconds, until lightly browned.
- Flip the pancake back so the egg side is facing up. Spread 1 tablespoon of hoisin sauce (with chili, if using) over the top and sprinkle with the crushed crispy bread. Fold the pancake in half, then in half again to form a triangle, or roll it up like a crepe.
- Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining batter and egg until all the ingredients are used. Serve hot.
Storage
Najlepsze są świeże. Jeśli zostaną, przechowuj zawinięte w folię w lodówce i podgrzej na suchej patelni na małym ogniu, aż się ogrzeją i lekko zmiękną. Chrupiące dodatki stracą chrupkość.
