Grid Pancake
Photo: https://www.reddit.com/r/oddlysatisfying/comments/1sjoibl/grid_style_pancakes/
The Grid Pancake (格子蛋餅, gézi dànbǐng) is a modern Taiwanese reinvention of the classic dan bing breakfast crepe. Instead of pouring a single round of batter, the cook uses a multi-nozzle dispenser, a metal bar fitted with a row of fine outlets, to lay down thin parallel lines of batter across a large flat griddle, then crosses back perpendicular to weave a lattice.
The result is a crispy, open-weave crepe that looks like woven cane. Egg is cracked directly onto the grid and spread across each square with a ladle, cooking into and filling the cells. Each panel is then topped with a sheet of nori and a generous heap of pork floss (肉鬆), rolled up, and sliced into pieces.
Billed by its inventor as "Taiwan's first grid-style egg pancake" (全台首創格子蛋餅), it trades the soft, chewy texture of a traditional dan bing for crisp edges and a dramatic visual. The batter is thin enough to ribbon out of a dispenser but sets fast on the hot plate, holding its geometry through the egg and filling stages.
Grid Pancake Recipe (Taiwanese Lattice Dan Bing)
Ingredients (Makes 4 Grid Pancakes)
For the Batter:
- All-purpose flour – 1 cup
- Tapioca starch (or cornstarch) – 2 tablespoons
- Water – 1¼ cups
- Salt – ½ teaspoon
- Vegetable oil – 1 tablespoon
For the Fillings:
- Eggs – 4 (1 per pancake)
- Nori sheets – 4 half-sheets
- Pork floss (肉鬆) – ½ cup
- Scallions – 2 tablespoons (finely chopped, optional)
For Cooking:
- Vegetable oil – For greasing the griddle
- Soy paste or sweet soy – For serving
Equipment
- Large flat-top griddle or the biggest nonstick pan you own
- A multi-tip batter dispenser. The street version uses a custom metal bar with ~15 nozzles. At home, improvise with a squeeze bottle and a steady hand, or tape several drinking straws together over the mouth of a bottle.
Instructions
Step 1: Prepare the Batter
- Whisk flour, tapioca starch, salt, oil, and water together until completely smooth and lump-free. The batter should pour like heavy cream: thin enough to run freely from a nozzle, but not watery. Rest 10 minutes, then transfer to your squeeze bottle.
Step 2: Lay the Grid
- Heat the griddle over medium. Brush lightly with oil.
- Starting at one edge, draw thin, parallel lines of batter across the griddle — aim for pencil-thin ribbons spaced about ½ inch apart.
- Immediately cross back perpendicular with another set of parallel lines to form a lattice. Work fast: the first lines set within seconds.
- Let the lattice cook until the batter turns opaque and the edges start to crisp, about 45 seconds.
Step 3: Add the Egg
- Crack an egg over one panel of the lattice and use the back of a ladle to spread it in a thin layer that fills the squares of the grid. The egg cooks into the holes, turning the open weave into a filled panel.
- Sprinkle scallions over the wet egg if using. Cook another 30 seconds until the egg is just set.
Step 4: Fill and Roll
- Transfer each egg-filled grid panel to a cutting board, lattice side down.
- Lay a half-sheet of nori across the center, then add a generous line of pork floss.
- Roll the panel tightly into a log, seam side down. Slice into 4–5 pieces on a slight diagonal.
- Serve immediately with soy paste for dipping.
Notes
The grid is as much visual performance as it is texture: the lattice gives the finished roll dozens of crispy little edges while the egg fills each cell. If your first grid fuses into a solid sheet, your batter is too thick or your griddle isn't hot enough, thin it down and turn up the heat.
| Name_ | Grid Pancake |
|---|---|
| Origin_ | 🇹🇼 Taiwan |
| Morphology_ | ⟁ Crepe |
| Flavor_ | savory |
| Filling_ | egg, pork floss |
| Topping_ | nori |
| Recipe_ | Grid Pancake Recipe |
| « All Pancakes_ | |