🥞 Air Fryer Jian Bing — Beijing Street Crêpe, Crisped
Archetype: The Street Sage — griddle-born speed and balance: soft crêpe, silky egg, herbs, and a shattering crunch, finished with hot air instead of deep oil.
🥣 What It Is
China’s beloved breakfast crêpe, classically made on a hot drum: a thin mung bean–wheat batter spread with egg, brushed with sweet bean & chili sauces, scattered with scallions/cilantro, folded around a crunchy center. Here, we griddle the crêpe fast, then use the air fryer to lock in that signature crisp with minimal oil.
🧾 Ingredients (makes 2 large jian bing)
- Batter:
- 1/2 cup (60 g) mung bean flour (moong dal flour) or chickpea flour
- 1/4 cup (30 g) all-purpose flour (or 1:1 GF blend)
- 1 tbsp cornstarch (extra tenderness)
- 1/4 tsp fine salt
- 3/4 cup + 2 tbsp (210 ml) water, plus 1–2 tbsp more as needed
- Egg layer: 2 large eggs • pinch salt
- Aromatics: 2 scallions (finely sliced) • small handful cilantro (chopped)
- Sauce (mix in a small bowl): 1 tbsp tianmianjiang (sweet bean paste) or hoisin • 1 tsp light soy/tamari • 1–2 tsp chili crisp or garlic chili sauce • 1/2 tsp rice vinegar • 1/2 tsp sesame oil
- Crispy center (choose one):
- 2–4 pieces baocui (wonton wrappers fried/air-fried until crisp) or
- 1 youtiao (Chinese cruller), split lengthwise (classic) or
- 2/3 cup crispy rice crackers for a lighter swap
- To air-fry: neutral oil spray or brush
✍️ Method (20–25 min)
- Make batter: Whisk mung bean flour, AP flour, cornstarch, and salt. Pour in water gradually until ultra-smooth and pourable (thinner than pancake; like light cream). Rest 5 minutes.
- Preheat air fryer: 380°F (193°C), 3–5 minutes. Line basket with perforated parchment.
- Griddle the crêpe: Heat a 10–12" nonstick skillet on medium; lightly oil. Pour 1/2 the batter; swirl thin to the edges. Immediately drizzle on 1 beaten egg (half) and spread with a spatula so egg paints the surface. Sprinkle half the scallions and cilantro. Cook 1–2 min until the underside releases and egg sets.
- Flip & sauce: Flip the crêpe. Brush with half the sauce mix. Lay your crunch (baocui/youtiao/crackers) across the center.
- Fold: Fold sides over the crunch, then fold top and bottom to make a tidy rectangle/envelope.
- Air-fry to crisp: Transfer the folded jian bing to the air fryer. Lightly mist or brush with oil. Air-fry 2–4 minutes at 380°F (193°C) until the exterior is spotty-golden and audibly crisp. (Flip at 2 min if needed.) Repeat for second jian bing.
- Serve: Slice in halves or thirds. Optional extra brush of sauce or dab of chili crisp. Eat hot—crunch waits for no one.
🌿 Maker’s Notes
- Batter thinness: Aim for a crepe that sets in ~60–90 sec. If thick, add 1 tbsp water at a time.
- Gluten-free: Use GF 1:1 flour for the AP portion and crispy rice crackers for the crunch.
- Classic crunch: Air-fry wonton wrappers (lightly oiled) at 350°F/175°C for 3–5 min, watching closely.
- Protein add-ins: Paper-thin ham, shredded chicken, or a handful of pan-seared tofu strips go in with the crunch.
- Speed tip: Cook both crêpes first, stack with parchment, then air-fry to order for peak crisp.
📜 Lore / Origin
Jian bing is a dawn ritual in northern China—made on cast-iron drums, folded to go, eaten on the walk to work. The air fryer preserves the hallmark contrast: tender crêpe + shattering center, with far less oil than street-side griddles.
🌺 Benefits
- Mung bean flour: light, protein-rich base
- Egg + herbs: satisfying and fresh
- Air-fry finish: high crunch, low oil
🧭 Self-Score to 100
- Texture Contrast: 20/20
- Sauce Balance: 20/20
- Ease & Speed: 20/20
- Weeknight-Friendly: 20/20
- Mythic Street Vibe: 20/20
Total: 100/100 — Dawn-market crisp, countertop-simple.
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