Jian Bing

History

Jian bing is believed to have originated in Shandong province over 2,000 years ago, with legend attributing its creation to the military strategist Zhuge Liang who used flat pans to cook grain crepes for his soldiers. It migrated to Beijing and became the city's defining breakfast street food, sold from griddle carts at dawn across the capital. Today it is one of the most widely eaten street foods in China, with regional variations across the country.

Ingredients

• Mung bean and wheat flour batter
• Egg
• Crispy wonton cracker (baocui)
• Hoisin sauce
• Chili bean paste (doubanjiang)
• Pickled mustard greens
• Green onions
• Cilantro
• Sesame seeds

How to Make

1. 1Whisk mung bean flour and wheat flour with water to make a thin batter.
2. 2Pour batter onto a hot oiled griddle and spread into a thin round crepe.
3. 3Crack an egg onto the crepe and spread it across the surface; sprinkle with sesame seeds and green onions.
4. 4Flip once briefly.
5. 5Spread hoisin sauce and chili paste across the crepe.
6. 6Place a crispy wonton cracker in the center and add pickled mustard greens and cilantro.
7. 7Fold the crepe around the cracker into a neat rectangle and serve.