Breakfast tortillas & eggs

Whenever we visit Taipei, I have three main food beelines on my list: the local farmers markets for fresh vegetables and fruits, the myriad night markets that begin at sundown and snake down city streets and alleys for my after-hours intake of snacks and munchies, and the breakfast stands that open up just before dawn and offer freshly-made soybean milk along with a host of generally northern style treats.

After a long night of eating and catching up with friends, a hot breakfast really hits the spot. We usually head for a place that serves soybean milk alongside things like today's breakfast flour tortillas and other goodies from China's far north, like steamed breads (mantou) and filled steamed breads (mantou). 

These were transplanted to Taiwan's shores by the soldiers who came with Chiang Kai-shek at the end of the Chinese Civil War in 1949, and these delicious foods took root -- as so many other cuisines from all over China did -- in Taiwan's fertile soil.

Chinese flour tortilla

Back in the late seventies and early eighties, one district to the south of Taipei, just over the river, called Yonghe gradually became synonymous with rich soybean milk and good breakfast fare. And, like intrepid businesspeople everywhere, the name was expanded upon as a name for breakfast spots, and very soon we had the Yonghe brand plastered up all over Taipei and then pretty much all over Taiwan. 

What I hadn't realized was that in a few years this had even traveled to Beijing. When we went there in 2001 and asked around for a good doujiang dian (soybean milk shop), we were invariably shoved in the direction of a Yonghe franchise! The food had come full circle, and had acquired a certain trendiness through its stay in Taipei. 

One dish that I seem to order without fail is this simple flour tortilla that is rolled around a scrambled egg and chopped green onions. Simple and apparently foolproof, this is how I usually start my vacation day in Taipei, along with a hot bowl of sweet soybean milk. 

Boiling water added to flour

Once in a while I might mix it up a bit with a fried cruller (youtiao) rolled up in the middle for some crunch and an extra dose of holiday extravagance, but all in all this is a pretty levelheaded way to head out into Taiwan's busy streets, on the lookout for more food and fun, two things that are never in short supply around there.

These tortillas are a snap to make, and I implore you to try them. You can, of course, use store-bought Mexican flour tortillas, and the results will be passable, but don't blame me if you are not transported by the results.

No, you really have to make them fresh. And once you master them, you will find that making a stack of tortillas and freezing them before you cook them is a great way to prepare a shortcut to many a great Chinese and, dare I say it, Mexican meal.

Smooth ball of dough

These are what you want to use as wrappers for Mu Shu Pork and things of that ilk. They are strong enough to withstand all sorts of abuse, yet their freshness assures you that they will melt in your mouth. (You can also use the thinner Spring Wraps that we looked at a few months ago.)

What makes these tortillas so perfect? Two things that we've discussed before: Korean bread flour and boiling water.

The Korean bread flour has less gluten than American bread flour, but more than our all-purpose. Plus, it is better quality than Mainland Chinese, so it's something that I continue to recommend.

Boiling water added to flour makes what the Chinese call tangmian, or hot dough. This cooks the flour and makes the resulting pastry lighter. You never end up with a powdery texture when boiling water is used; rather, it will be silky and soft. And when you shape it into the initial ball before letting it rest, the dough will feel smooth and supple in a way that the Chinese compare to an earlobe.

Divide the rested dough

Once the dough has rested for an hour or so, cut it into six equal pieces and roll them into balls. Coat the balls in oil and then roll the balls out into very thin rounds that are about 9 inches wide; the oil will make this easy. All that is left is to quickly toast them on an ungreased pan; they will bubble up on top while their undersides become a speckled brown. Flip them over for another quick go in the pan and they are done.

Turning them into breakfast is simply a matter of beating some eggs and patting a cooked tortilla on top of the eggs as they quickly cook. I like adding some chopped greenery in there -- green onions and/or cilantro are always welcome -- plus sesame oil adds another grace note of flavor.

Cheap, easy, and delicious. Hard to improve on that.

Flour tortillas 
Danbing 單餅 
Northern China

Roll out the dough

Makes 6 tortillas

2 cups Korean bread flour
½ teaspoon sea salt
1 cup (or so) boiling filtered water
Fresh peanut or vegetable oil, as needed

1. Mix the flour and salt together in a medium work bowl, and then stir in enough boiling water to form a soft dough. Knead the dough for about 10 minutes until it is smooth. Coat the dough lightly with some oil and place it back in the (clean) bowl; cover and let it rest for an hour.

2. If you are going to freeze some or all of the tortillas, prepare a baking sheet and some parchment paper or plastic wrap. Then, place the uncooked tortillas on the paper or wrap and freeze them separately; when solid, seal them in a freezer bag. If you are going to immediately cook all or some of the tortillas, have a 9-inch smooth, seasoned, ungreased skillet on the stove; heat it on medium for about 3 minutes before you cook the tortillas. 

3. Cut the dough into 6 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a ball and coat with more oil. Use a small rolling pin to roll each piece out into a 9-inch circle. As you finish each tortilla, either lay it on the paper or plastic, or cook it on the skillet.

4. Cook the unfrozen tortillas over medium heat until the tops bubble and the bottoms are covered with brown spots. Lift one edge with your fingers (or use a spatula) and flip it over. Lightly brown the other side as well. Remove to a plate and cover with a clean cloth so that it can steam and stay warm. Repeat with the rest of the tortillas.

5. To cook the frozen tortillas, cover the pan to create steam and cook the tortillas more evenly, but otherwise cook the same as unfrozen; there is no need to defrost them first.


Breakfast tortillas 
Danbing 蛋餅 
Northern China

Bubbles on the top of the tortilla

Makes 6 and serves 3 to 4

1 recipe Flour Tortillas
4 large free-range eggs
1 tablespoon filtered water
4 green onions, optional
Sea salt and pepper to taste
Small handful cilantro, optional
Roasted sesame oil

1. Cook the Flour Tortillas as directed above and keep warm by covering them with a clean tea towel.

2. Lightly beat the eggs with the water. Trim the onions and/or cilantro, if you are using them, and chop them finely. Add salt and pepper to taste to the eggs.

3. Make the breakfast tortillas one at a time: Heat a tablespoon or so of the sesame oil in a 9-inch smooth, seasoned skillet over medium and roll the oil around the pan. Add a sixth of the eggs to the pan, quickly swirl the pan and add a sixth of the greens. Immediately press a tortilla on top of the eggs and press down lightly on the tortilla with the palm of your hand to squish the eggs out toward the edge of the pan, which will allow the eggs to cook evenly. Shake the pan, and as soon as the eggs are lightly brown, flip the breakfast tortilla over. Lightly cook the other side for a few seconds to ensure that the center of the eggs is cooked, and then remove to a plate. Keep the breakfast tortilla warm while you prepare the rest of the breakfast tortillas.

Let the eggs squish out the edges

4. Roll each breakfast tortilla up and cut crosswise into six pieces. Serve hot.


Tips

You can serve these as is, or eliminate the salt and pepper and serve with either a sweet chili sauce or thick sweetened soy (jiangyougao) or ground roasted Sichuan pepper and salt.

Instead of soybean milk, these also are terrific with a bowl of millet porridge or congee.

Crepes and chili potatoes from Xi'an

I went to Xi'an to see the terracotta soldiers and stayed for the food.

Honestly, I love Xi'an. Unpretentious, beautiful, old fashioned, this former imperial capital that was once called Chang'an has become a bit of a cultural backwater, and few folks would notice it if it weren't for those soldiers from 2,000 years ago. 

That's what brought me there, but it is not what captured my imagination. In fact, I became more than a bit grumpy during our stay, as tour groups are herded into what seem to be mandatory "dumpling feasts" that have pretty but tasteless food, and it truly bothered me that I was wasting valuable stomach space and time on this endeavor.

Yum

There's just so much more to enjoy there, and much of it is the friendly people and glorious things they eat. After I got home, I wanted to learn how to re-create their street snacks and the things that families put on their tables, for it's simple, good food with haunting flavors and textures.

Take, for example, today's dish. Shaanxi (where Xi'an is located) has traditionally been a relatively impoverished area, and so the people there have learned to be frugal. However, they also love to eat, and this is the sort of meal that people on tight budgets could present to their guests with considerable pride. Everything works perfectly. Not a scrap of meat is in here, no fancy vegetables or sauces. The main ingredients are just flour and potatoes, which may sound like a carb meltdown, but it's a triumph of ingenuity over cash flow.

China's northern provinces are justly famous for their noodles and breads, but another item that doesn't get mentioned enough are its crêpes. Yes, crêpes.

Frying crepe

Again, nothing foofoo about this at all; simply flour, water, and salt fried in a barely oiled flat pan. But what you end up with are thin pancakes that are wonderfully bouncy and chewy, their edges rimmed with crunch, and they are the ideal foil for the potatoes. The people in Shaanxi province often wrap any number of items in crêpes, so this is a delicious skill to master if you like the local foods as much as I do.

You might have never tried stir-fried potatoes before, and this is a great place to start. China's north has taken to such native American foods as potatoes and chilies like a house on fire, and now they are as much a part of the local cuisine as anything else. But instead of baked or mashed or french fried potatoes, you will find stewed and braised and even stir-fried renderings of this lovely tuber.

Onion & potato matchsticks

When you stir-fry potatoes, the key is to use the right variety of potato and then cut it correctly. Yukon Golds are great, as they hold their shape and don't break down like regular baking potatoes. If you don't have them in your area, ask your grocer to recommend something similar.

Next, you'll need to cut these into thin matchsticks called julienne. Don't be tempted to grate the potatoes; you'll end up with mush rather than gently crunchy strips. See the directions below on how to do this right.

This makes a deliciously satisfying meal any time of the day. I especially enjoy this for breakfast with a bowl of hot soy milk. 

Dappled crepes

Crepes and chili potatoes 
Jianbing juan tudousi 煎餅捲土豆絲 
Shaanxi
Makes 6 filled crepes and serves about 2 people

1 cup Korean noodle flour (see Tips)
½ teaspoon sea salt
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons warm filtered water
2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, or similar variety
2 green onions, trimmed
4 tablespoons (or so) peanut or vegetable oil
1 to 3 teaspoons dried powdered chili (see Tips)
1 teaspoon sea salt
Chili Sauce (see below)

1. Place the flour in a medium work bowl. Stir the salt into the warm water until it dissolves and then mix the salt water into the flour to form a thin batter with the consistency of cream; it's quite all right if there are some lumps in the batter. Let it sit while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.

Cut into slices, then julienne

2. You may peel the potatoes or leave them unpeeled, whichever you prefer. Rinse the potatoes and pat dry. Slice off one edge of the long side of a potato so that it lies flat on your cutting board. Then, cut the potato into very thin slices before cutting the slices into very thin matchsticks. Repeat with the other potato. Cut the green onions into 2-inch pieces, flatten slightly with the side of a cleaver or heavy knife, and cut them into thin matchsticks, as well.

3. Heat the oil in a wok over medium high and add the chili powder to taste, as well as the salt. Let the chili heat up in the oil and slowly turn from red to brown. Turn the heat up to high and add the potatoes and green onions. Stir-fry quickly until the potatoes have lost their rawness but are still slightly crisp. Cover the wok, remove from the heat, and let it sit on the side while you cook the crêpes.

Make the chili oil

4. Heat a flat skillet about 8 inches in diameter over medium high. Lightly oil the pan using a piece of paper towel dipped in oil. (More than that and the crêpe will roll around in the pan, rather than stay put.) When the oil barely starts to smoke, pour in about a sixth of the batter and swirl the pan around so that the batter covers most of the bottom of the pan. Cook it, adjusting the heat as necessary, until the top has some bubbles and is fairly dry, and the edges start to curl up. Flip the crêpe over and cook for a few seconds to barely brown the other side. Remove to a plate and cover with another plate to keep the crêpe warm. Repeat with the rest of the batter until you have about 6 crêpes.

5. Make the Chili Sauce (below). Serve the crêpes and potatoes hot alongside the sauce, and have everyone fill and roll their own crêpes, dribbling a bit of the sauce inside the crêpe. Eat with chopsticks at the top of the roll and the fingers of the other hand steadying the bottom. Enjoy.

Chili Sauce

Chili Garlic Sauce

This is a sauce I like to make for just about anything, from dumplings to meats to veggies:

2 tablespoons Lee Kum Kee brand Chili Garlic Sauce (or your favorite)
1 tablespoon soy sauce
4 tablespoons roasted sesame oil

1. Heat the chili garlic sauce and soy sauce together in a pan until bubbly. Remove from the heat and pour in the sesame oil, taste, and adjust seasoning.

2. Scrape into a small bowl and serve.

Tips

Korean noodle flours

The Korean noodle flour I love has changed its packaging. Here is a picture of the new look on the left, with an equally good brand on the right. Both work really well for Chinese breads and pastas, as they have the correct amount of gluten. American flours tend to have too much gluten, and so Chinese recipes made with them come out tough.

Use as much or little chili powder in the potatoes as you like. It's hard to give an exact amount, as chilies and palates differ so much. Besides, you can always add more zip with the sauce if the filling is not hot enough.