鸡蛋饼: Shanghai's Breakfast of Champions

鸡蛋饼 (pronounced ji dan bing) is the best way to start a morning in Shanghai, so I figured it's also the best way to start the blog back up. Ji dan means egg and bing means wrap/burrito; that pretty much sums up the overall concept. Here's the video of how it's made:

There are three ji dan bing vendors within easy walking distance from my apartment, and this lady not only makes the most delicious one, but also makes it the fastest. Her stand is outside of Metro Line 3's Chifeng Lu Station (赤峰路) and one costs 3.5¥ (or $0.54). Let's break this down step by step:


(0:00) By the time I start rolling, she's already putting down the dough straight onto the circular flat iron stove. In five seconds, she's covered 97% of the area with the thick, gooey substance by using a flat metal tool. I imagine that she would destroy me in arm wrestling.


(0:07) Cracks an egg open and covers the whole area (including small holes in the dough) with the same metal tool (wish I knew the name of that). Cooking the dough and frying the egg at the same time - so simple, yet so genius.


(0:15) Throws on some cut up greens and little spiced yellow things. I have no idea what either are.


(0:18) Quickly separates the dough from the pan using the ji dan bing device (there's got to be a catchier name for that). I'm realizing that if I ever want to learn to make this, I need to get one of those.


(0:24) Folds it in half and adds a slimy brown substance. I learned that this is primarily soy sauce and flour, in addition to probably sugar and other things - it's really sweet.


(0:28) She holds up the hots as if to ask whether I want some. I say "dui de" or "correct" which isn't technically the right answer, I should have said "yao" or "I want" - the pressure of my first blog video got to me! Aiyo! By the way, hots in your breakfast is a great wake up call.


(0:32) She puts in some crunchy bread, there is also an option of chewier doughy bits. Both are good.


(0:35) Flips it together and uses the ji dan binger to cut it in half. I stop rolling just before she smiles and gives me a wink. Clearly a rookie mistake.


I'll do better next time,
Stephen "Scuba" Lauer