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Jianbing guozi

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Jianbing guozi

Jianbing guozi (Chinese: 煎饼馃子) or "deep-fried dough sticks rolled in a thin pancake" is a popular Chinese street food originating in Tianjin. The exact origin of Jianbing guozi has not been verified, and it was the supplement of Tianjin Ta Kung Pao on 20 November 1933, that first appeared in modern newspapers. In June 2017, the skill of making Jianbing guozi was included in the fourth batch of municipal intangible cultural heritage list in Tianjin.[1] And has been hailed as "one of China's most beloved street breakfasts",[2] especially in Tianjin and the neighboring province of Hebei. It is a sub-category of jianbing and consists of pancakes made from mung bean flour, eggs, and youtiao (fried dough sticks) or crispy "dragons", served with sweet bean sauce, diced green onion, and optionally chili sauce.[3]

History

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A Jianbing guozi stall in Tianjin

Jianbing guozi originated in northern China. Its history can be traced back 2,000 years to Shandong during the Three Kingdoms period (220–280 AD). Legend holds that they were invented by Chancellor Zhuge Liang when he needed to feed his soldiers after they had lost their woks. He ordered the cooks to mix water with wheat flour to make batter, and then spread it on shields, or flat copper griddles over a flame. The dish supposedly raised the soldiers’ morale and helped them win the battle. After that, jianbing guozi was passed down through the generations in Shandong and gradually spread to different parts of China.[4][5]

The article "Tiny Restaurant in Tianjin", the supplement of Ta Kung Pao, first appeared in modern newspapers and periodicals on 20 November 1933, and pointed out that the Jianbing was mostly sold as a midnight snack at that time . The earliest verifiable record about the method of making Tianjin Jianbing guozi from the article Gossip about Tianjin published in the third issue of Jinjin Monthly in 1942, which records that "the method uses mung beans to grind juice and spread it into pancakes, mixed with shrimp and chopped green onion, fried in a flat pan, wrapped in gizzards, or supplemented with flour paste, which is extremely sweet."[6]

Jianbing guozi making process

In the 1950s, when the public-private partnership was established, since most of the food sellers were small vendors, they were not included in the public-private partnership and were not affected. From the 1960s to the end of the Cultural Revolution, when vendors were banned, the private vendors who sold this food disappeared in Tianjin for a while, until they reappeared after the reform and opening up in the late 1970s. However, due to the long-term lack of night life for urban residents during the Cultural Revolution, food vendors that were originally used as supper, and gradually changed to morning stalls. This food is mainly used as a night snack, and gradually becomes the main choice for breakfast in Tianjin. However, due to the lack of materials during this period, the preparation and operation techniques of the materials were much rougher than those before the 1950s. Without five-spice powder, the taste is not as good as before. And at that time, the food was mostly prepared in advance before being sold, and it was processed twice when it was sold, rather than on-site. After the supplies gradually became more abundant, the ingredients of the food began to be refined, developed rapidly, and the ingredients were upgraded. A new variety of guozi with two slices began to appear. The practice of spreading eggs in this food became mainstream. Eggs can make the taste softer. It can also avoid holes and breakages in the cake skin during spreading. At this time, there is a saying of "egg Jianbing guozi ".[7]

In May 2008, relevant departments in Tianjin formulated a plan to require Jianbing guozi vendors to unify their brand, appearance and service methods, which also belonged to "actively guiding mobile carts to enter the store, guiding individual stores to develop chains, and guiding chain companies to create brands". The program is not feasible. In 2017, Zhang Baoyi, director of the Institute of Sociology of the Tianjin Academy of Social Sciences, called on the Tianjin government to support Tianjin's specialty snacks to go out of Tianjin.[8]

Cooking

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Jianbing guozi is prepared by cooking a thin batter on a griddle to form a crepe-like pastry and topping it with savory spreads and fillings, then wrapping it, as illustrated below in five steps.[9]

Pancakes are made of mung bean flour as the main ingredient and made into a paste. Spread into pancakes, shaped like lotus leaves, as thin as paper, then rolled with crispy sticks (fried dough sticks) or grates, spread with sauce, fermented bean curd, and chopped green onion, folded from the middle to eat, and can also be served on pancakes Spread the eggs on top.[10]

  • Step 1
    Step 1
  • Step 2
    Step 2
  • Step 3
    Step 3
  • Step 4
    Step 4
  • Step 5
    Step 5

Other varieties

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Shandong-style jianbing guozi

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Jianbing guozi from Shandong is typically crispier as the batter consists of a flour mixture that mainly contains coarse grains such as corn, sorghum and millet. Historically, Shandong-style Jianbing guozi was often served by rolling it with scallions or with meat soup. Nowadays, fillings such as sweet potatoes, lettuce and pork are also used.[11]

Shanxi-style jianbing guozi

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Shanxi jianbing guozi uses wheat flour[12] but is otherwise similar to Tianjin jianbing guozi.

Tahe-style jianbing guozi

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Tahe jianbing guozi (from Tahe, Heilongjiang) consists of processed meat, shredded potatoes, and other ingredients wrapped in a thin egg-and-flour pancake. It is slightly spicy and thicker in size.

Production Method

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Jianbing are made of mung bean flour as the main ingredient and made into a paste. Spread into Jianbing, shaped like lotus leaf, as thin as paper, then rolled with crispy sticks (fried dough sticks) or grates, spread with sauce, fermented bean curd, and chopped green onion, folded from the middle to eat, and can also be served on pancakes Spread the eggs on top.[13]

The earliest verifiable record about the method of making Tianjin Jianbing guozi gizzards comes from the article Gossip about Tianjin published in the third issue of Jinjin Monthly in 1942.[14]

After continuous development, especially the cycle of lack of materials and abundant materials, the raw materials and auxiliary materials of Jianbing guozi have evolved to a certain extent.

Technical specification for the production and processing of local traditional famous food in Tianjin "Tianjin Jianbing guozi" summarizes the main production methods of Tianjin-style Jianbing guozi and determines it as a non-binding industry group standard.[15]


Culture and Popularity

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Culture

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Jianbing guozi an important role in Tianjin's food culture, and many Tianjin people are quite persistent about its taste tradition.[16] once published an article sarcastically criticizing the innovation and improvement of pancakes.[17] When buying pancakes in Tianjin, local customers can bring their own eggs and line up according to the order in which the eggs are placed. This has become a custom in Tianjin, which is rare in other cities.

According to rough statistics, there are more than 2,000 jianbing guozi stalls in Tianjin in 2018, with an average daily sales of 150 sets, with a total annual output value of not less than 500 million yuan.[18]

In June 2017, jianbingguozi's production skills were selected into the fourth batch of municipal intangible cultural heritage list in Tianjin.[1] At the 2019 China Tourism Industry Expo, jianbingguozi became one of the most popular snacks.[19] On the occasion of the Summer Davos Forum, jianbingguozi, as the representative of Tianjin cuisine, was tasted by the participants.[20]

In 2018, when Alexandre Pato, a Brazilian soccer player, served as a foreign aid in Tianjin Tianhai F.C, he appeared in the street stalls of Tianjin to experience pancake dumplings and filmed a music video (MV) of Pancake Fruit for Tianjin Catering Association.[21]

In January 2020, when Tianjin dispatched nearly 1,300 medical staff to help Hubei to prevent and control the COVID-19 epidemic, it also sent a team of chefs to make Tianjin special breakfasts such as crispy rice and jianbingguozi for Tianjin medical volunteer team.[22]

Tianjin-based Haihe Dairy has launched a "jianbing guozi" flavored milk.

In August 2024, Tianjin-based dairy company Haihe Dairy added mung bean flour, millet flour, fermented bean curd juice, soybean paste, and five-spice powder to their milk, launching a "jianbing guozi" (Tianjin pancake) flavored milk, which quickly became a hit online.[23]

Popularity

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Although all kinds of pancake products are common in many places in China, the traditional jianbingguozi with Tianjin flavor were not popular at first. In the 1980s, Tianjin jianbingguozi became popular in Beijing. No matter whether it was done in Tianjin or not, many jianbing vendors liked to put up signs of "Tianjin jianbingguozi" or "authentic Tianjin jianbing". In 2018, "A Bite of China3" once set off a wave of Tianjin pancake gizzards.[24]

In recent years, with the gradual increase of Tianjin's overseas immigrants, Jianbing guozi has also come overseas. For example, there was once a chef who ran a restaurant in Hebei District of Tianjin. After retirement, he settled in London, England, and began to run Jianbing guozi in London, which became the first popular among the overseas students in China.[25] Later, Tianjin-style jianbing guozi or improved jianbing guozi gradually became popular, and it was sold by catering operators all over the world. Such as New York City, Los Angeles,[26]Monterey Park,[27] Seattle,[28] Chicago,[29] San Francisco, Canberra,[30] London,[25] Dubai, United Arab Emirates and other places, Tianjin immigrants sell Tianjin specialties including Tianjin flavor jianbing guozi.[31]

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Regulations

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In May 2018, according to the "Tianjin Catering Industry Association Group Standard Management Measures", Tianjin Catering Industry Association approved the "Technical Specifications for the Production and Processing of Tianjin Local Traditional Foods Tianjin Jianbing Guozi".This regulation will be implemented from 26 May. This standard specifies the terms and definitions, raw and auxiliary materials requirements, production site and equipment requirements, processing sanitation and personnel requirements, production process requirements, labeling, packaging, transportation and storage, etc. for Tianjin Jianbing glutinous rice.[32]

In July 2021, the Tianjin Municipal Bureau of Human Resources and Social Security organized the Pancake Guozi Branch of the Municipal Catering Industry Association to formulate the "Tianjin Pancake Guozi Production Special Occupational Competence Standards" in accordance with the relevant provisions of the "Labor Law of the People's Republic of China" and announced it for implementation. Among them, relevant knowledge, operating norms, specific standards, etc. are given for the powder paste, soy milk, glutinous rice balls, glutinous rice grates, seasonings, and other aspects, and strict instructions are given.[33]

Dispute

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The establishment of the standard of jianbing guozi group has aroused the concern and debate of China mainland and international media.[34] In January 2018, Hong Kong's "South China Morning Post" first reported "How to make authentic jianbing: industry sets standards" in English.[35] The British "Daily Telegraph" said that with jianbing guozi becoming a new world food fashion trend, its birthplace is striving to maintain its traditional flavor.

Before the introduction of the standard of jianbing guozi, many details were not clear, and the outside world did not understand that "group standard" was only a recommended standard, so there was a controversy about whether jianbing guozi should formulate a standard. There are supportive voices, and it is believed that the formulation of standards can promote the healthy development of Tianjin jianbing guozi production and management.[36] However, some media, such as Beijing Daily, believe that the charm of Chinese cuisine lies in its non-standardized features, but they also agree that there can be some recommended standards and norms, but they should not be deliberate and rigid.[37]

As to whether the standardized taste of jianbing guozi is still authentic, some commentators mistakenly think that the group standard is mandatory and hold a negative attitude, and think that setting the standard will constrain the experience on the tip of the tongue.[38]

There are also some people who hold a neutral attitude and think that they should be tolerant of the diverse "jianbing guozi" form,[39] which not only preserves tradition but also insists on innovation.[40] In addition, some commentators believe that the standards formulated by the association are a kind of propaganda means worth learning.[41]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b Zhou, Runjian (11 June 2017). "天津"煎饼果子"入选市级非物质文化遗产名录" [Tianjin "Jianbingguozi" was selected into the municipal intangible cultural heritage list.] (published 12 June 2017). 新华社(Xinhua News Agency).
  2. ^ 网易 (15 March 2019). "中国"最经典"的5种早餐, 图1外国人的最爱, 图4南方人的最爱" [China's "most classic" 5 kinds of breakfast]. www.163.com. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
  3. ^ "London's 'Grandpa Pancake' seeks new recipes at home". archive.shine.cn. Retrieved 30 November 2018.
  4. ^ "天津煎饼果子的由来_习俗文化_食品科技网". www.tech-food.com. Archived from the original on 12 January 2021. Retrieved 30 November 2018.
  5. ^ "MOVABLE FEASTS | celebrating shanghai streetfood heritage". www.sh-streetfood.org. Retrieved 30 November 2018.
  6. ^ Zhang, Meng Boxuan (14 May 2018). "天津煎饼果子的前世今生" [The Past and Present of Tianjin Pancake Fruit]. tjtong.enorth.com.cn (in Chinese). Retrieved 14 May 2023.
  7. ^ "天津小吃介绍" [Introduction of Tianjin Snacks]. m.meishichina.com (in Chinese). Retrieved 14 May 2023.
  8. ^ Wang, Ning; Wang, Hui (4 January 2019). "今晚报：《新华每日电讯》报道 天津"19条" 护航民营经济-媒体南开-南开大学" ["Xinhua Daily Telegraph" reported that Tianjin's "19 measures" escorted the private economy]. news.nankai.edu.cn (in Chinese). Retrieved 14 May 2023.
  9. ^ "煎饼果子的做法_煎饼果子怎么做_菜谱网". www.chinacaipu.com. Archived from the original on 13 January 2019. Retrieved 30 November 2018.
  10. ^ "煎饼果子怎么做_煎饼果子的做法" [How to make jianbingguozi_Recipe jianbingguozi]. www.douguo.com (in Chinese). 11 September 2020. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
  11. ^ "Jianbingguozi". meishichina.com. Retrieved 30 November 2018.
  12. ^ "Wheat Applied Genomics". maswheat.ucdavis.edu. Retrieved 30 November 2018.
  13. ^ "在家做煎饼果子" [Make Jianbing guozi at home].
  14. ^ Zhang, Meng Boxuan (14 May 2018). "天津煎饼果子的前世今生" [The Past and Present of Tianjin Jianbing guozi]. tjtong.enorth.com.cn. Retrieved 5 June 2023.
  15. ^ "天津煎饼馃子标准出台：你常吃的那家达标了吗？" [Tianjin Jianbing Guozi standard released: Is the one you eat up to the standard?]. www.sohu.com. 29 May 2018. Retrieved 5 June 2023.
  16. ^ Wang Chong, Pengcheng (25 January 2020). ""卫嘴子"的执念：就爱和煎饼馃子较劲" [The obsession of "Weizuizi": I love to compete with jianbingguozi.]. 新京报(The Beijing News) (in Chinese).
  17. ^ Qin, Yihua (21 August 2012). "别拿传统食品"糟改"" [Don't take traditional food "badly"]. Economic Weekly tonight.
  18. ^ "天津煎饼馃子遇标准化难题 地方小吃传承如何与创新融合？" [Tianjin jianbingguozi meets the standardization problem. How does local snacks's inheritance merge with innovation?]. Workers' Daily. 28 March 2018.
  19. ^ Zheng, Yan (9 September 2019). "旅博会非遗天津小吃成爆款 老味儿美食引八方客" [Travel Expo's non-legacy Tianjin snacks become explosive, and old-fashioned food attracts customers from all directions.]. Northern Network.
  20. ^ Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Commerce in Tianjin. "达沃斯展示天津美食" [Davos shows Tianjin cuisine.]. Ministry of Commerce(商务部). Archived from the original on 25 November 2021. Retrieved 8 February 2020.
  21. ^ "帕托完美融入天津生活 出镜MV为煎饼果子代言" [Pato's perfect integration into Tianjin life appeared in MV to endorse pancake fruit.]. Tencent sports(腾讯体育). 21 April 2018.
  22. ^ "没有什么是一碗锅巴菜解决不了的，家乡味道也上了"战场"" [Nothing can't be solved by a bowl of crispy rice, and the taste of hometown is also on the 'battlefield'.]. The Paper. 8 March 2020. Archived from the original on 14 May 2021. Retrieved 10 February 2021.
  23. ^ 马越 (8 September 2024). "天津海河乳品想用"煎饼果子味牛奶"在全国市场出圈". 界面新闻. Archived from the original on 8 September 2024. Retrieved 8 September 2024.
  24. ^ Tong, Yu (21 February 2018). "天津民众排队品尝《舌尖3》中的煎饼馃子" [Tianjin people lined up to taste jianbingguozi in A Bite of China3.]. China News Network.
  25. ^ a b Gao, Lihong (23 July 2014). ""煎饼爷爷"回津要吃遍特色早点 想在伦敦开店" [Grandpa jianbing wants to eat all the specialties when he goes back to Tianjin. He wants to open a shop in London early.]. City express.
  26. ^ James Gordon (24 August 2015). "WHERE TO FIND THE CHINESE BURRITO-CREPE JIANBING IN L.A." LA Weekly. Retrieved 21 September 2019.
  27. ^ Tony Chen (31 October 2013). "Fortune Number 1 in Monterey Park". Eater Los Angeles. Retrieved 6 February 2020.
  28. ^ Yan, Fei; Zhang, Jing (17 August 2018). "女孩西雅图卖煎饼果子 曾在安吉"偷学"中国菜" [Girl selling jianbing gouzi in Seattle once "stole" Chinese food in Anji.].
  29. ^ Janet Rausa Fuller (5 August 2014). "Jianbing, the Street Food You've Never Heard of, Is Now in Chicago". dnainfo. Archived from the original on 18 November 2017. Retrieved 6 February 2020.
  30. ^ Mayura Jain (28 November 2019). "Chinese Takeout: Preaching the Jianbing Gospel in Australia's Capital City". radiichina. Retrieved 6 February 2020.
  31. ^ Crowley, Chris (23 March 2016). "China's Answer to the Breakfast Sandwich Finally Arrives in New York". Retrieved 14 September 2019.
  32. ^ Chen, Qingyuan (26 May 2018). "天津煎饼馃子协会出标准：煎饼不能小于38厘米" [Tianjin Pancake Guozi Association issued a standard: pancakes should not be smaller than 38 cm]. www.sohu.com (in Chinese). Retrieved 14 May 2023.
  33. ^ "扩散 | 不是谁都能摊煎饼馃子！天津发布官方标准" [Not everyone can make Jianbingguozi! Tianjin releases official standards]. m.thepaper.cn (in Chinese). 29 July 2021. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
  34. ^ Neil Connor (2 June 2018). "Birthplace of 'Chinese crepe' fights to protect its authenticity as it becomes new world food trend". The Telegraph. Retrieved 14 September 2019.
  35. ^ Mandy Zuo (30 January 2018). "How to make an authentic Chinese pancake: jianbing makers set the rules". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 6 February 2020.
  36. ^ Shen, Ye (1 June 2018). "有了标准的煎饼馃子能走得更远" [With the standard jianbing guozi, we can go further.]. Science and Technology Daily.
  37. ^ Zhang, Xinshuo (23 March 2018). "煎饼馃子应不应该有标准？" [Should jianbing guozi have standards?]. Beijing daily.
  38. ^ Jiang, Debin (23 March 2018). "煎饼馃子: "标准"束缚舌尖" [Jianbing guozi: "standard" binds the tip of the tongue]. changchun daily.
  39. ^ Li, Xiaen (30 April 2023). "五一假期刚开头儿，当不了"特种兵"，还没长个"特种胃"吗？" [The May Day holiday has just begun, can't be a "special soldier", haven't you grown a "special stomach" yet?]. k.sina.cn. Retrieved 9 June 2023.
  40. ^ Jiang, Debin (21 March 2018). ""煎饼馃子标准"不宜固守传统而排斥创新" ["jianbing guozi standard" should not stick to tradition and exclude innovation.]. Ordos evening news.
  41. ^ Miao, Yan (24 September 2021). "有标准的煎饼馃子更香_央广网" [Standard Jianbing guozi are more fragrant]. food.cnr.cn. Retrieved 9 June 2023.
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