Jianbing, Chinese Egg Crêpe

📝 Ingredients

• 50 g plain flour + 30 g buckwheat flour
• 140 ml water
• 1 pinch of salt
• 4 eggs (2 per crêpe)
• 2 sheets of brick pastry
• 2 tbsp hoisin sauce (1 per crêpe)
• 2 spring onions
• 10 g fresh coriander
• 3 tsp sunflower oil (1 for the brick pastry sheets, 2 for the pan)
• 1 tsp sesame seeds

🍴 Utensils

• Large non-stick frying pan (26 to 28 cm)
• Mixing bowl
• Whisk
• Ladle
• Large spatula
• Pastry brush

📖 Steps

1. In a bowl, mix the two flours and the salt, then gradually pour in the water while whisking, until you have a smooth, runny batter with no lumps, barely thicker than crêpe batter. Leave to rest for 10 min.
2. Meanwhile, heat the frying pan over medium heat. Brush the brick pastry sheets with 1 tsp oil, fold each one into quarters and brown them one at a time for 1 to 2 min per side, until golden and brittle. Leave them to cool flat: they finish crisping up as they cool.
3. Finely slice the spring onions, white and green parts included, and roughly chop the coriander, stalks included. Have all the components within reach: once the crêpe is in the pan, everything moves very fast.
4. Grease the hot pan with 1 tsp oil, still over medium heat. Pour in half the batter and immediately spread it into a thin disc by tilting the pan or using the back of the ladle. Cook for 1 to 2 min, until the surface is matt and the edges come away.
5. Crack 2 eggs directly onto the crêpe, break the yolks and spread them over the whole surface with the back of the spatula. Immediately sprinkle with half the spring onions, coriander and sesame seeds, then cook for 1 to 2 min, until the egg is set and no longer shiny.
6. Flip the crêpe in one confident movement with the large spatula, egg side down, then lower to a gentle heat. Spread 1 tbsp hoisin sauce over the upper side with the back of a spoon, right to the edges.
7. Place a crispy brick pastry sheet in the centre, fold two sides of the crêpe over it, then fold in the ends to form a rectangular parcel. Press lightly with the spatula and cook for another 30 s.
8. Slide the jianbing onto a board, cut it in half and eat it straight away, while the brick pastry is still crisp. Repeat with the remaining batter, oil, eggs, sauce and toppings for the second crêpe.