I have lived and studied in Beijing for more than 2 years back in 2011. My absolute favourite food was 煎饼, I got it almost every evening for dinner or as a late night snack. You get it in all sorts of variants. The most common one is soft outside and crispy inside, but some are crispy outside as well.
煎饼果子 originated in the Tianjin region. It’s a combination of a thin, crispy pancake with various fillings, such as eggs, scallions, cilantro, sesame and a selection of sauces. The inside of this delicious street food is the 油条, a deep-fried dough stick, which adds the crunch to every bite I was talking about above.
The process of making 煎饼果子 is relatively simple and consists of a few easy steps. You start by mixing the pancake batter, which typically includes a combination of flours, such as all-purpose, mung bean, and soybean flours, water, and salt. After resting the batter for a brief period, you’ll spread it onto a hot, oiled pan and cook it until crispy. Next, you’ll add desired fillings and sauce, place the fried dough stick in the middle, and finally fold the pancake around it to form a tasty, portable meal.
Here’s one done by a chef in Tianjin:
煎饼果子 is most popular in the northern parts of China. I’m now in the south, where it’s less common. Can’t wait to get my hands on one again when back in Beijing (more than one probably).
If you have the chance of trying one, go for it, you won’t regret it!