Savory Fried Pancake

Savory Fried Pancake

　　Savory fried pancakes are one of the popular deep-fried snacks. They have a flavor that is salty with a hint of sweetness, and among them, the Dechang Savory Fried Pancake enjoys an excellent reputation, especially among overseas Chinese, making it the most famous. The Dechang Savory Fried Pancake is well known for its vibrant color and unique taste.

　　The creator of the Dechang Savory Fried Pancake, Master Tan Zao, had been working in dim sum production at Dechang Teahouse on Longjin Road since the 1930s. He was eager to create an exceptional snack but struggled to find a good solution. Later, while having tea, he met De Gongde, a blind man who sold fermented red tofu pork, and their conversation about stir-frying peanuts with fermented red tofu greatly inspired him.

　　What makes the making of the Dechang Savory Fried Pancake unique is, first, the inclusion of fermented red tofu in the ingredients to enhance the aroma. However, the fermented red tofu used must be relatively aged yet still full of fragrance. In the past, Master Tan would place the purchased fermented red tofu on the rooftop, where it was half-shaded and half-exposed to the sun. When the sun was out, the fermented red tofu would heat up, and after the sunlight faded, the heat would gradually dissipate. This process of heating and cooling improved the fragrance of the fermented red tofu.

　　Secondly, it uses a different sugar formula. Typically, savory fried pancakes use flour paired with white sugar, but Master Tan used equal parts white sugar and brown sugar, with the quantity being double that of the usual amount. The role of this combination is: the white sugar gives the pancake its crispy crust, while the brown sugar ensures a soft center. In addition, frying it over medium heat with a higher sugar content and more oil absorption results in a final product that is crispy on the outside, soft in the middle, and exceptionally fragrant and fluffy.