Danbing

Danbing
Alternative namesEgg pancake
TypePancake
Place of originTaiwan
Main ingredientsDough, eggs
Danbing
Traditional Chinese蛋 餅
Simplified Chinese蛋 饼
Literal meaningegg pancake
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinDàn bǐng
Southern Min
Hokkien POJnn̄g-piánn

DanBing (dànbǐng) (traditional Chinese: 蛋餅; simplified Chinese: 蛋饼; pinyin: Dàn bǐng; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: nn̄g-piánn; lit. 'egg pancake'; Mandarin pronunciation [tânpìŋ]), also known as egg pancake or rolled egg crepe, is a Taiwanese breakfast dish. Different regions makes the dish differently, in most cases, the dough is made by kneading flour, potato starch, glutinous rice flour, and water into a thin dough, and an omelet is baked on top of the dough.[1] In Taiwan, dan bing is mainly sold at breakfast shops, restaurants as well as night market food stalls. They are also sold commercially in supermarkets, where the dough is frozen in plastic packaging, and egg is added as the dough is heated.[2]

At first, eggs were added to scallion pancakes. Later, a no-knead flour batter version appeared, which was made of flour, cornstarch and sweet potato flour. In 1994, mass-produced omelet crust appeared in the factory, which promoted the popularity of omelet pancakes. The popularization of scallion pancakes, but the taste is different from that of scallion pancakes, which are lighter and more flexible.[3][4]

History

Like many other Taiwanese dishes, the original version of the danbing came from mainland China with the Kuomintang after the Chinese Civil War ended in 1949. However, gradually over time, the dish has been modified to suit the taste of local Taiwanese people and has since become a unique Taiwanese breakfast dish and an icon of Taiwanese cuisine. One distinctive change made to the original recipe is that sweet potato powder is mixed into the dough to give it a unique texture that makes it more chewy, or Q, as Taiwanese people call it.[5] This became the staple of the Taiwanese danbing, but the different textures were preferred in northern and southern Taiwan. In northern Taiwan, the dough is fried with strong fire, giving it a crispy texture. On the contrary, the soft and chewy texture is emphasized in the south, and the seasoning is slightly sweeter.[6] The dish has recently gained popularity in the United States.[7]

A street food-style danbing with tuna fillings
Danbing with pork fillings

Variations and accompaniments

Variations exist on the basic method of preparation that incorporate other flavors and fillings. Other ingredients, such as tuna chunks and minced pork, are sometimes added with the egg. In Taiwan, the pancakes are often served with soy sauce or sweet chili sauce.

See also

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Danbing.
  1. ^ Angela Hui (31 August 2020). "This Taiwanese Egg Pancake Is An Ideal No-Fuss Breakfast For Kids". Huffington Post. Retrieved 27 October 2022.
  2. ^ G. Daniela Galarza (27 October 2022). "Dan bing are a Taiwanese breakfast treat that can be a meal anytime". The Washington Post. Retrieved 27 October 2022.
  3. ^ 你早餐最愛的那一味 起底「蛋餅」不為人知的歷史. 三立新聞網 (in Chinese). 21 January 2019. Archived from the original on 30 January 2023. Retrieved 30 January 2023.
  4. ^ 獨步全球的台式早餐：餐桌上的台灣蛋餅演化史. every little d (in Chinese). 24 March 2018. Archived from the original on 30 January 2023. Retrieved 30 January 2023.
  5. ^ "你早餐最愛的那一味 起底「蛋餅」不為人知的神歷史" (in Chinese). SET News. 21 January 2019. Retrieved 27 October 2022.
  6. ^ 張越評 (27 August 2018). "為何古早味蛋餅軟Q、現代蛋餅酥脆？" (in Chinese). The Storm Media. Retrieved 27 October 2022.
  7. ^ Luke Tsai (19 February 2021). "Taiwan Bento's New Dan Bing Shines a Light on Taiwanese Breakfast Culture". Eater San Francisco. Retrieved 27 October 2022.