Recipe Wed Oct 01 2014

Ode To Jiang Bing (Chinese Savory Crepe)

By Judy Wu

What the hell is Chinese jianbing (JYANG-BING)? Is that a David Chang thing? Or am I thinking about Roy Choi? Mmm, Morimoto?

In short, jiangbing is culinary perfection 2000 years in the making. In HD panoramic splendor, jiangbing is a supple, elastic crepe, wrapped around layers of crispy egg, sweet spicy sauce and fresh herbaceous substances. Jiangbing is firm yet chewy, savory yet fresh, sweet yet intensely salty, and every sensual bite fills your body and spirit with a self-loathing ecstasy. Ask anyone who's eaten at Nali in Chicago, and they would agree.

I bought my first jiangbing in my hometown of Shanghai from a peasant lady with golden teeth and threadbare clothes layered with city dust. But her plump hands were spotless, and the makeshift cooking station on the back of her motorcycle was equally spotless. She would spread the light yellow batter over a flat griddle, spreading it to become a thin circle. Just as the crepe began crisping at the edges, she would crack two eggs over the top, gently scrambling it before slathering a sweet and spicy paste over it. Yes, I want scallions and pickled radishes, no cilantro. Finally, an enormous fried wonton (or youtiao -- savory donut) was placed in the middle, the crepe was rolled up, and sliced down the middle. Crack! And then she flipped the jiangbing into a plastic bag, the heat fogging up the interior.

I swear upon the swaying Buddhas of LotusLand, jiangbing is going to reinvent the "Asian" food genre, but it won't be Thai, Vietnamese, Japanese or Korean. It won't follow the ranks of banh mi, pho or bibimbap, teetering along a culinary path corrupted by sesame oil, soy sauce and Sriracha. If you want real Chinese food, here's a simple recipe for two crepes:

Time: 15 minute prep, 5 min cooking
Ingredients:
• 4 tbsp. all-purpose flour (or 2 tbsp. all-purpose, 2-millet flour if available)
• 4 tbsp. milk or water
• 1 tsp. vegetable oil
• A pinch of salt
• 2 eggs
• 3 tbsp. hoison sauce + 3 tbsp. chili sauce mixture
• To Taste: Scallion, cilantro, meats (e.g. pork belly, crispy bacon, chicken)

1. Whisk together the purpose flour, milk, salt and vegetable oil until well combined (Consistency should be a thick, pancake-like batter).
2. Grease up a large, flat cooking vessel on over medium to low heat.
3. Pour half of the batter onto the pan, and quickly bread the batter until the entire pan is evenly coated.
4. Once the edges began crisping and the crepe is starting to firm up, crack an egg over the jiangbing, and gently break up the yolk, spreading the egg over the entire thing.
5. A minute after dropping the egg, drizzle liberally with hoison sauce and chili paste
6. Top with chopped scallions, cilantro, meats, or other toppings of choice.
7. Cook for an additional minute (until the eggs looked fully cooked) before turning off the heat.
8. Gently fold up the jiangbing like a burrito, and slice in half.

This recipe is truly customizable--some people like crispier crepes, runnier eggs, more herbs and fresh veggies, or spicier sauces. Don't be worried or embarrassed if you can't pronounce "jiangbing" -- it's not how you say it, it's how you eat it. Make the recipe your own, and you won't be disappointed. Because quite frankly, there are so many variations, it's just a matter of time before Eater labels it a Chinese Sriracha Burrito.