Zichang Pancakes

Zichang Pancakes

　　When visiting Zichang County under the jurisdiction of Yan'an City, hosts always serve two local specialties—pancakes and cold noodles—to entertain guests. They proudly say: "We Zichang people grow up eating pancakes and cold noodles. Our Zichang pancakes and cold noodles are simply the best in the world."

　　Pancakes may not be rare—many places across China enjoy them—but Zichang pancakes are distinctly different from those found in other regions, both north and south, boasting a unique character all their own. First, Zichang pancakes are made from buckwheat flour, unlike the wheat flour used in the Guanzhong region or the corn flour favored in Shandong. The buckwheat flour used in Zichang, much like throughout northern Shaanxi, is white rather than red, as the husks have been removed. This sets it apart from the red buckwheat noodles (hele) eaten in Guanzhong, while northern Shaanxi’s version remains white. As a result, Zichang pancakes have a clean, snow-white color that can easily rival that of fine wheat flour. Another notable feature is their size—they’re small, measuring only about seven or eight centimeters wide and roughly twenty centimeters long. In northern Shaanxi, in all of Shaanxi, I’ve never seen smaller pancakes. As for the rest of China, I can’t say for certain whether they exist, but I’ve certainly never heard of any. Describing them as “jade-white and delicately dainty” is fairly accurate. The locals themselves say their pancakes are “as thin as paper, as white as jade, chewy yet soft and cool, fragrant and delicious.”

　　According to several participants in a discussion, the making of Zichang pancakes generally involves three key steps: first, making the pancake itself; second, preparing the savory and vegetarian dishes to be wrapped inside; and third, creating the dipping sauce that flavors the pancake. Each step has its own distinctive methods.

　　To make the pancake, coarsely ground buckwheat flour (known as buckwheat grits) is used. This semi-processed flour has been milled but not sifted. The grits are soaked in clear water for about ten minutes, then kneaded by hand on a flat surface until softened. Water is added, and the mixture is sifted into a smooth batter. This buckwheat batter is then cooked on a special iron pan to create thin pancakes—these are the Zichang pancakes.

　　The fillings for Zichang pancakes include both meat and vegetarian options. Among the most representative is flavored dried tofu that has been boiled, seasoned primarily with Sichuan peppercorns. The most popular filling is crispy pork. There’s also a type of hot tofu—somewhere between regular tofu and tofu pudding—that’s meant to be eaten hot, tucked inside the pancake for maximum flavor. Some also fill their pancakes with stir-fried shredded potatoes.