Description
Jian Bing is a popular Chinese street food featuring thin, crispy savory crepes filled with egg, scallions, cilantro, and crispy wonton strips, all wrapped up with flavorful hoisin and chili garlic sauces. Perfect for a breakfast or snack, these crepes offer a deliciously balanced taste of crispy textures and bold flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
Batter
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons mung bean flour (or substitute with cornstarch)
- 1 ¼ cups water
- ½ teaspoon salt
Crepe Filling
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil (plus more for cooking)
- ½ cup chopped scallions
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
- ½ cup crispy wonton strips or Chinese fried dough (youtiao)
- Hoisin sauce to taste
- Chili garlic sauce to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the batter: In a mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, mung bean flour, water, and salt until the mixture is smooth and free of lumps.
- Heat the pan: Warm a non-stick skillet or crepe pan over medium heat and lightly brush the surface with vegetable oil to prevent sticking.
- Cook the crepe base: Pour about ½ cup of the batter onto the skillet and tilt the pan to spread it thinly and evenly, forming a crepe.
- Add the egg: Crack one egg directly onto the crepe and use a spatula to spread the yolk and white evenly over the surface.
- Cook with toppings: Let the egg cook for 1–2 minutes until it is mostly set. Then evenly sprinkle the chopped scallions and cilantro over the egg layer.
- Flip the crepe: Carefully flip the entire crepe and cook for an additional 30 seconds.
- Apply sauces and add filling: Flip the crepe back over to the egg side and spread a thin layer of hoisin sauce and chili garlic sauce to your taste over the surface. Place a handful of crispy wonton strips or fried dough in the center of the crepe.
- Fold the crepe: Fold the sides of the crepe inward to enclose the filling, then fold the top and bottom to create a rectangular pocket.
- Serve: Remove the folded crepe from the pan and serve immediately while hot. Repeat the process with the remaining batter and ingredients.
Notes
- For an authentic texture, try to find mung bean flour at an Asian grocery store. Cornstarch works well as an alternative.
- Feel free to add extra fillings like lettuce, ham, or pickled mustard greens for additional flavor and texture.
- Use a non-stick pan or well-seasoned crepe pan to ensure the crepes don’t stick and remain easy to flip.
- Adjust the amount of hoisin and chili garlic sauce according to your spice preference.
