WRAPPING UP WORLD CULTURE IN A CREPE:
Introducing Thai Crepe
By Stacey Kumagai
They say the world can be united in many ways. We all have so much in common when you think about our love for nature, dance, music, art, sports and food. Our food may be diverse, but every culture has the same food. Every culture has a soup or a stew. Every culture has some sort of baked meat or vegetable dish.
And yes, every culture has a crepe!
Crepes originated in France. They are a light, thin airy batter made from butter, milk, flour and eggs. The most famous crepe of all is the Crepe Suzette, which put crepes on the culinary map of becoming a household name. All crepes can be served both savory and sweet. Crepes may be the most famous of the French crepe world, but thicker more pancake-like spin-offs of crepes range from the Clafoutis and Flaugnarde. Unlike the crepe which is made in a pan on the stove top, the Clafoutis and Flaugnarde are thicker and cakier in texture and more similar to the concave shape of the pie crust. Both are baked and are mostly served sweet instead of savory. The French also have a Galette, which is more like our pancake and made with buckwheat flour. This is more like the Crepe in that it is much thinner in texture and served abundantly as an entree' with meat, vegetables and also served as a dessert with fruit and cream.
In Russian and Jewish cultures, the batter has yeast. Their version of crepes are called Blintzes. Blintzes are made much like pancakes and are traditionally served for Hanukkah and can be both savory with meats and vegetables or sweet with creamy cheeses and fruit.
Mexico has both the tortilla (as does Spain, Puerto Rico, Central and
South America and Cuba) and there is also the 'sope.' Sope is made with masa and corn (what is used inside tamales) and is fried. The outside is crispy and light similar to a crispy taco shell or a tostada shell, but the center is doughy and chewier, with a thicker texture. Sope is served savory with salsas, vegetables and meat.
South Indian culture has a crepe, too. Theirs is called Dosa and it is made from finely ground rice and lentils. This is primarily known as a side dish and usually accompanies curry.
In Ethiopia, their crepe is made with a highly regarded grain called teff and the crepe is called Injera. Injeras are more of a flatbread but they are the most like the French crepe. They are cooked over a fire on a clay plate.
Canadians love Ploye. They are similar to a pancake and are made of just buckwheat flour and water. This 'crepe' is served sweet with plenty of maple butter and syrup or brown sugar. But Ploye has savory versatility as well and is often served with pork onion spread or with stew.
The Dutch really love crepes and have a bunch of different kinds. They don't just have Dutch Babies (a giant pancake made with eggs, milk and flour), they also have smaller versions of this called Poffertjes (pronounced po-fer-jez). These are a little cakier than a crepe and like the Dutch Baby, require their own special cast-iron
pan in which they are made. Poffertjes are served similarly to Dutch Babies with powdered sugar and butter. These are served primarily as a sweet crepe. Pannekoek is another Dutch crepe and is more like the traditional crepe in that it is thinner and not so cake-like. Pannekoek is made like most crepes with eggs, milk and flour but the kicker is sometimes beer is added to the batter to make it lighter in texture. This is also mostly served as a sweet crepe.
Don't count out Asia. Remember, Crepes have no geographical boundaries! Let's start with Korea.
Enter the Korean version of the crepe. Gamjajeon is very similar to the Jewish potato pancake, latkes. It is fried in oil until crispy and golden and sometimes incorporates vegetables similar to a hash brown. Memiljeon It is both a dumpling type wrap and a pancake, made from buckwheat which holds savory meat and vegetables including kimchi. The Pajeon is made with batter similar to the French crepe, but has green onions in the batter. This is the platform for seafood. The Kimchijeon is more like a pancake. It is fried in a pan and is actually made with kimchi in the batter and served with vegetables.
The Vietnamese have the Banh Xeo. What's surprising is that the French occupied Vietnam, but their crepe is very different from the French crepe. This batter is made with rice flour not wheat and uses water, not milk. There are more differences in this type of batter depending on the region of Vietnam including coconut milk
and turmeric. The Banh Xeo is a savory crepe: meat, seafood, vegetables and eggs are served with it.
The Chinese like Jian Bing. Their crepes are made just like the French crepe, but they are prepared very similarly to an omelet with vegetables usually green onions. They love seasoning theirs with chili sauce, cilantro and other spices. This savory crepe is street food in China and is often served with bean paste and hot sauce.
Japanese love their Okonomiyaki. This is meant to be a savory crepe of sorts and it is cooked on the Japanese Teppan grill. This Japanese pancake has meat, vegetables and can also hold noodle dishes as
well. Depending on where you are in Japan, you will find Okonomiyaki served a number of different ways based on the region of influence.
Today, Japanese-style crepes are all the rage in Tokyo, Japan. These crepes are called the Harajuku Crepes.
It is here, you will find crepe stands everywhere. The difference between Harajuku Crepes from all the other crepes mentioned from all over the world is that these crepes are meant to be eaten 'on the go' as they are made into a cone shape, similar to an ice cream waffle cone, or probably more similar to the way Belgian waffles are actually served in Belgium. The Harajuku Crepe batter is versatile for both savory and sweet fillings. You will find everything from a salad inside similar to a sandwich/salad type of 'wrap' to fresh and
healthy fruit to decadent ice cream, dessert toppings and whipped cream.
The convenience of the 'to-go' crepe makes this kind of crepe simple to enjoy. You don't need a fork and you'll also find that the crepe has a lot of differences from other crepes, including the composition of the batter. As you have seen, most crepe batters from around the world include a basic batter or cakier, doughier type of recipe.
Harajuku Crepes have a sticky mochi-rice batter which make it pliable so that it can 'conform' to the food inside of it. This not only makes it easy to eat, but less messy as well. Tea-infusion is a new trend complimenting this buckwheat/mochi-rice batter.
Crepes. They are versatile and universal. They wrap up something special within every culture in the world. If we are the ingredients inside the crepe of life, the crepe is one giant world hug. And for all of us, that is the kind of ZEN worth flipping for.
Special Thanks to :
Bhan Kanom Thai
www.bhankanomthai.com