Jianbing guozi

A Jianbing guozi stall in Tianjin

Jianbing guozi originated in northern China. Its history can be traced back 2,000 years to Shandong province during the Three Kingdoms period (220–280 AD). Legend holds that they were invented by Chancellor Zhuge Liang when he needed to feed his soldiers after they had lost their woks. He ordered the cooks to mix water with wheat flour to make batter, and then spread it on shields, or flat copper griddles over a flame. The dish supposedly raised the soldiers’ morale and helped them win the battle. After that, jianbing guozi was passed down through the generations in Shandong and gradually spread to different parts of China.[5][6]

The article "Tiny Restaurant in Tianjin", the supplement of Ta Kung Pao, first appeared in modern newspapers and periodicals on November 20, 1933, and pointed out that the Jianbing was mostly sold as a midnight snack at that time .[7] The earliest verifiable record about the method of making Tianjin Jianbing guozi from the article Gossip about Tianjin published in the third issue of Jinjin Monthly in 1942, which records that "the method uses mung beans to grind juice and spread it into pancakes, mixed with shrimp and chopped green onion, fried in a flat pan, wrapped in gizzards, or supplemented with flour paste, which is extremely sweet."[8]

Jianbing guozi making process

In the 1950s, when the public-private partnership was established, since most of the food sellers were small vendors, they were not included in the public-private partnership and were not affected. From the 1960s to the end of the Cultural Revolution, when vendors were banned, the private vendors who sold this food disappeared in Tianjin for a while, until they reappeared after the reform and opening up in the late 1970s. However, due to the long-term lack of night life for urban residents during the Cultural Revolution, food vendors that were originally used as supper , and gradually changed to morning stalls. This food is mainly used as a night snack, and gradually becomes the main choice for breakfast in Tianjin. However, due to the lack of materials during this period, the preparation and operation techniques of the materials were much rougher than those before the 1950s. Without five-spice powder, the taste is not as good as before. And at that time, the food was mostly prepared in advance before being sold, and it was processed twice when it was sold, rather than on-site. After the supplies gradually became more abundant, the ingredients of the food began to be refined, developed rapidly, and the ingredients were upgraded. A new variety of guozi with two slices began to appear. The practice of spreading eggs in this food became mainstream. Eggs can make the taste softer. It can also avoid holes and breakages in the cake skin during spreading. At this time, there is a saying of "egg Jianbing guozi ".[9]

In May 2008, relevant departments in Tianjin formulated a plan to require Jianbing guozi vendors to unify their brand, appearance and service methods, which also belonged to "actively guiding mobile carts to enter the store, guiding individual stores to develop chains, and guiding chain companies to create brands". The program is not feasible. In 2017, Zhang Baoyi, director of the Institute of Sociology of the Tianjin Academy of Social Sciences, called on the Tianjin government to support Tianjin's specialty snacks to go out of Tianjin.[10]

Jianbing guozi is prepared by cooking a thin batter on a griddle to form a crepe-like pastry and topping it with savory spreads and fillings, then wrapping it, as illustrated below in five steps.[11]

Pancakes are made of mung bean flour as the main ingredient and made into a paste. Spread into pancakes, shaped like lotus leaves, as thin as paper, then rolled with crispy sticks (fried dough sticks) or grates, spread with sauce, fermented bean curd, and chopped green onion, folded from the middle to eat, and can also be served on pancakes Spread the eggs on top.[12]

Jianbing are made of mung bean flour as the main ingredient and made into a paste. Spread into Jianbing, shaped like lotus leaf, as thin as paper, then rolled with crispy sticks (fried dough sticks) or grates, spread with sauce, fermented bean curd, and chopped green onion, folded from the middle to eat, and can also be served on pancakes Spread the eggs on top.

The earliest verifiable record about the method of making Tianjin pancake gizzards comes from the article Gossip about Tianjin published in the third issue of Jinjin Monthly in 1942.

After continuous development, especially the cycle of lack of materials and abundant materials, the raw materials and auxiliary materials of Jianbing guozi have evolved to a certain extent.

Technical specification for the production and processing of local traditional famous food in Tianjin "Tianjin Jianbing guozi" summarizes the main production methods of Tianjin-style Jianbing guozi and determines it as a non-binding industry group standard.

Guo is fried food, fried dough sticks (called Guozi in Tianjin) are wrapped in pancakes (with eggs), so it is called "Jianbing guozi".

Culture

Jianbing guozi an important role in Tianjin's food culture, and many Tianjin people are quite persistent about its taste tradition.[15]

Popularity

Although all kinds of pancake products are common in many places in China, the traditional jianbingguozi with Tianjin flavor were not popular at first.[16]

Jianbing Guozi is paired with a bowl of crispy rice.

Jianbing Guozi and soy milk (generally called "Jiangzi" in Tianjin) can be drunk together.

In May 2018, according to the "Tianjin Catering Industry Association Group Standard Management Measures", Tianjin Catering Industry Association approved the "Technical Specifications for the Production and Processing of Tianjin Local Traditional Foods Tianjin Jianbing Guozi".This regulation will be implemented from May 26. This standard specifies the terms and definitions, raw and auxiliary materials requirements, production site and equipment requirements, processing sanitation and personnel requirements, production process requirements, labeling, packaging, transportation and storage, etc. for Tianjin Jianbing glutinous rice.[17]

In July 2021, the Tianjin Municipal Bureau of Human Resources and Social Security organized the Pancake Guozi Branch of the Municipal Catering Industry Association to formulate the "Tianjin Pancake Guozi Production Special Occupational Competence Standards" in accordance with the relevant provisions of the "Labor Law of the People's Republic of China" and announced it for implementation. Among them, relevant knowledge, operating norms, specific standards, etc. are given for the powder paste, soy milk, glutinous rice balls, glutinous rice grates, seasonings, and other aspects, and strict instructions are given.[18]

• Jianbing
• List of street foods