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Taiwanese dan bing
Egg crepe rolls
Dàn bǐng: the Taiwanese breakfast egg crêpe with spring onion, rolled and sliced
Every morning, breakfast shops on almost every block in Taiwan (zǎocān diàn) pour thin, chewy crêpes onto a flat griddle, crack an egg over them and roll them up into a soft log in under a minute. Customers order them plain, with corn, with cheese, or with basil, alongside a cup of soy milk or milk tea. The batter uses some tapioca starch, which gives that bouncy, slightly stretchy bite. Chef's tip: spread the egg over the crêpe while the top of the batter is still a little tacky; they bond into one layer and don't split apart when you roll.
- Total time
- 20 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 2
Ingredients
For the crêpes
- 2 ⅛ oz plain flour
- 1 oz tapioca starch
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¾ cup water
- 2 spring onionsfinely sliced
For the filling
- 2 eggs
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 ⅛ oz sweetcorn kernels (optional)drained
- 2 cheese slices (optional)
- 2 tbsp soy paste or sweet chilli sauceto serve
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Whisk 2 ⅛ oz plain flour, 1 oz tapioca starch, ¼ tsp salt and ¾ cup water into a thin, lump-free batter, about as runny as single cream. Stir in half the 1 spring onions.
Step 2: In a cup, beat each of the 2 eggs separately with a pinch of salt and some of the rest of 1 spring onions.
Step 3: Heat 1 tbsp of 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a 24 cm non-stick pan over a medium heat. Stir the batter (the starch settles) and pour in half, tilting the pan to coat the base. Cook for 1½–2 minutes, until the edges lift and the top looks set but still slightly tacky.
2 minStep 4: Pour one beaten egg over the crêpe and spread it to the edges. Cook for 30 seconds, then flip the whole thing so the egg side is down. Common mistake: waiting until the egg is fully cooked before flipping; it no longer sticks to the crêpe and the layers slide apart.
1 minStep 5: Cook for 1 minute more, until the egg is set and lightly golden. Lay on 2 ⅛ oz sweetcorn kernels or 2 cheese slices if using, then roll the crêpe up tightly with a spatula into a log.
1 minStep 6: Slide onto a board and cut into 3 cm pieces. Repeat with the rest of the batter and egg. Serve hot with 2 tbsp soy paste or sweet chilli sauce for dipping.
5 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 300 kcal
- Protein
- 10 g
- Carbs
- 33 g
- Fat
- 14 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does taiwanese dan bing take?
- About 20 minutes in total: 5 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 2 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- What can I use instead of plain flour?
- Self-raising flour, same amount (then leave out the baking powder).
- What can I use instead of spring onions?
- Chives, or a little finely sliced onion.
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