Jianbing guozi

Last updated 2026-11-08 — The main ingredients of the jianbing (savory Chinese crepe) are mung beans, millet, dried shrimp (or small dried fish), spices, and water, ground into a batter. The jianbing is cooked to order on a flat griddle and sold fresh. Each crepe is cooked (an egg can be added on top if desired), then wrapped around a deep-fried cruller (youtiao) to form a roll. A bit of oil is brushed onto the pan, and the roll is cooked for a little longer until slightly crispy. It is then spread with sweet bean paste, sprinkled with chopped scallions, folded, and served as a “set.” Guobacai (a savory pancake snack) is made using pre-cooked large jianbing crepes, which are cut into willow-leaf strips, stirred briefly in a simmering broth (kept constantly heated), and served in a bowl along with the broth. Fermented tofu sauce, sesame paste, cilantro, and chili paste are then added, creating a rich medley of flavors. For guobacai, the jianbing must be thinly spread, and the broth must be made from the starch slurry left over after washing wheat gluten. Both jianbing guozi and guobacai are eaten hot, even in summer. Made primarily with mung beans and supplemented with millet, they help detoxify, clear heat, stimulate appetite, strengthen the spleen, relieve stagnation, treat constipation, and promote health. They are delicious and never tiresome, and can also help sober up after drinking.