Jianbing (Chinese Street Crepe)
Crackly, eggy, saucy jianbing — the viral Chinese street crepe — made at home with a simple batter and a wonton-wrapper crispy cracker shortcut.
Prep Time20m
Cook Time20m
Yield4 crepes
CuisineNorthern Chinese
Spicy:
🌶️
Ingredients
- All-purpose flour 100g
- Mung bean flour 30g (or fine cornmeal)
- Fine cornmeal 20g (optional)
- Water 220ml, plus more to adjust
- Salt 1 small pinch
- Five-spice powder 1 pinch (optional)
- Eggs 4 (1 per crepe)
- Sweet bean sauce or hoisin 4 tbsp
- Chili sauce to taste
- Fermented bean curd (optional)
- Wonton wrappers 8 (for crispy cracker)
- Chopped scallion
- Chopped cilantro
- Black sesame seeds
- Zhacai pickled mustard (optional)
- Lettuce leaves 4 (optional)
- Neutral oil for pan and frying
Steps
- Whisk flours, salt and five-spice; gradually add water until smooth like heavy cream. Rest 20–30 min.
- Fry wonton wrappers in 1cm oil 20–30 sec per side until golden and crisp; drain (the baocui shortcut).
- Loosen sweet bean sauce with 1 tsp water and a drop of sesame oil; have chili sauce and curd ready.
- Heat a nonstick skillet over medium, wipe with oil. Pour ¼ batter and immediately swirl to spread paper-thin.
- Cook ~1 min until set; crack an egg, break yolk, spread across the crepe; sprinkle scallion, cilantro, sesame.
- When egg mostly set, flip and cook 30 sec on the second side.
- Flip back egg-side up; brush sweet bean sauce and chili sauce, dab fermented curd if using.
- Add crispy cracker (plus lettuce, zhacai), fold into a parcel, press lightly, serve immediately.
Tips
Aim for heavy-cream batter and rest 20 min for tear-free crepes; medium heat and a fast swirl; fold the cracker in at the last second so it stays crisp. No mung bean flour? Use fine cornmeal or all AP flour.
