Dan Bing is one of the most popular breakfast items in Taiwan. It's a thin crepe-like savory pancake with an egg cooked onto it and rolled together with the filling of your choice. This may sound simple, but it's very addictive. Many of my friends who've visited Taiwan told me that they miss having Dan Bing for breakfast. In fact, most Taiwanese people buy their breakfast from stores or street vendors instead of making it at home, and the Dan Bing is one item that's almost always available.
One time my friend saw me eating Dan Bing again, she told me she got the recipe for the pancake portion of the Dan Bing from a grandpa who made and sold Dan Bing for a long time near our school. The recipe was simple: just flour and tapioca flour with water. I didn't try to make Dan Bing, however, until I came to Ann Arbor. Since I didn't know the proportion of each ingredient, I tested many different combinations until I finally arrived at the best formula. The magic formula is this: 3 tbsp bread flour + 1 tbsp tapioca flour + 4 tbsp water + 1 tbsp finely chopped scallion + a pinch of salt = Awesome Dan Bing.
To make a thin and even pancake, put a nonstick pan on medium heat and brush on a thin layer of cooking oil. Before the pan gets hot, pour in the batter and quickly spread it into a 7-8 inch round with the back of a spoon or a pastry brush (kind of like you're painting a wall). Then, cook 2 minutes or so for each side or until one side develops some brown spots.
You can enjoy the Dan Bing with any kinds of filling. I've tried ham, bacon, cheese, corn, canned tuna, pork floss, sauteed mushroom, hash brown patty, lettuces and various kinds of meat, and they all turned out delicious!
This dish is very quick and easy to make in the morning, hope you give it a try!
Taiwanese Traditional Vendor Style Egg Crepe (Dan Bing) - Original & Cheese + Corn
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp bread flour
- 4 tbsp cold water
- 1 tbsp tapioca flour
- 1 tbsp scallion, thinly sliced
- 1 tsp toasted white sesame seeds, optional
- pinch of salt
- cooking oil
- 1 egg
- filling of your choice
- For corn + cheese flavor
- 1 tbsp frozen corn kernels, thawed
- ⅓ cup shredded cheese, or more if desire
Instructions
- Mix bread flour, tapioca flour, salt and water together and stir until it's very smooth. Add in scallion, sesame seeds and stir to combine.
- Heat a nonstick pan with medium heat, then spray or brush on a thin layer of cooking oil.
- When the pan start to warm up a little bit, pour in the batter and spread it with back of a spoon or a pastry brush to an even 7-8 inch round. It's very important to do this before the pan gets hot, otherwise it will be hard to spread.
- Cook for 2 minutes and flip to cook the other side until some brown spots develop on that side (about 1.5 to 2 minutes), then remove the pancake to a plate.
For the original Dan Bing
- Adjust the heat to low, add enough oil to cook the egg and crack an egg into the pan, placing the pancake on top of the egg right away, Gently press the pancake with a spatula to break the yoke and cook the egg onto the pancake.
- After the egg is cooked, flip it egg side up and add the seasonings you want before rolling it up.
- Remove it to a plate, cut into bite size and enjoy!
For the corn+cheese
- Adjust the heat to low, crack an egg in a bowl, and add in corn kernels and mix to combine.
- Pour the corn and egg mixture into the pan, putting the pancake on top of the egg right away. Gently press the pancake with a spatula to cook the egg onto the pancake.
- After the egg is cooked, flip the egg side up and add shredded cheese to the third portion of the pancake closest to you, roll it up and cook for another 10 seconds. Move the pancake to a plate, let it sit for another 30 second to allow the cheese to melt. Cut into bite size and enjoy.
I've missed the accessible and delicious Dan Bing on the carts on Taiwan. I've only ever been there twice and I can never get enough of it. The frozen ones at the Chinese grocery stores are okay but this fresh recipe is SO much better and super easy to make!