Egg waffles, egg puffs, gai daan jai, bubble waffles – these are just some of the names for this Hong Kong street snack. Egg waffles have become popular around the world. But the snack actually has humble beginnings.
The egg waffle was first invented in the 1950s as a way to use broken eggs that could not be sold. Instead of throwing them out, these eggs were mixed with flour, sugar and evaporated milk. This "batter" mixture was poured into a waffle iron and cooked over a flame.
The mould was flipped over as soon as the batter was poured in. The result was a delicious waffle that was crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.
The shopkeepers who invented the snack also made sure it was affordable. This snack was soon sold on every street corner in Hong Kong.
Modern egg waffle
These days, most vendors use an electric waffle machine instead of the traditional iron. But the ingredients have not changed much. The batter is usually a mixture of flour, baking powder, custard powder, eggs, sugar and milk. Fillings can be chocolate chips, pork floss, black sesame or salted egg yolk.
One egg waffle usually has 12 grams of fat and 400 calories. This means an egg waffle has as many calories as one and a half slices of pizza. Thus, it is best to eat them as an occasional treat, and to share them with friends or family.
But if you have an electric waffle machine in your kitchen, why not put your cooking skills to the test? Try this recipe for a gai daan jai that has less fat and sugar.
Recipe
Ingredients (serves 2)
For the dry ingredients, you will need ¾ cup spelt flour, 1 tablespoon custard powder and 1½ teaspoon baking powder.
For the wet ingredients, you will need ¾ cup milk, 2 large eggs, ¼ cup monk fruit blend sweetener, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, and 50 grams salted butter, melted. You will also need some vegetable oil spray.
Directions
1. Combine all the dry ingredients, and set them aside.
2. Add all the wet ingredients to a blender. Blend until smooth.
3. Add the dry ingredients to the blended wet ingredients. Then, blend the mixture until you can no longer see any bits of flour. It is OK if the mixture is a bit lumpy.
4. Cover the batter with cling film, and put it in the fridge for 30 minutes.
5. Preheat the waffle machine to a medium heat. Grease it with vegetable oil spray.
6. Pour about half of the batter into one side of the waffle iron. Close the mould, and hold the handle firmly to stop the batter from leaking. Then, flip the closed mould so the egg batter fills the other side evenly.
7. Cook for about 4 to 5 minutes, or until both sides are golden brown.
8. Remove the waffle carefully, and fold it to form a cone shape. Place your waffles on a rack – they will become crispier as they cool. Enjoy your home-made gai daan jai!
Quick questions
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