Gai daan jai
Encyclopedia
An eggette is a kind of spherical pancake
or ball waffle
popular in the Cantonese-speaking regions of China
, including Hong Kong
and Macau
. The food item is also referred to as an egg puff, egg waffle, bubble waffle or by its Cantonese name, gai daan jai (鷄蛋仔), and is made from eggs, sugar, flour, and light evaporated milk. They are best served hot, and often eaten plain. They can also be served with fruit and flavors such as strawberry, coconut or chocolate. They are sometimes referred to as "Hong Kong cakes" in Chinatowns across America, especially in New York.
Eggettes are one of the most popular Hong Kong "street snacks" and was ranked No.3 in the 50 most popular HK "street snack". They have been a favoured street snack in HK since their emergence in 1950s and were made with coal fire heating, sold from street kiosks in Hong Kong in the early days.
The origins of the eggette or gai daan jai (which literally translates to "little chicken eggs") are unknown, despite being ingrained in the memories of Hong Kongers young and old. "One story says the enterprising post-war generation created the egg-shaped mold to make up for an eggless batter, as eggs used to be a luxury. Another tale points to street hawkers who bought damaged eggs on the cheap to work them into a batter, resulting in the classic golden color of the cake. It also is reasonable to suggest that the special iron skillet used to mold the gai daan tsai is a Hong Kong take on the traditional checkered European waffle press. Today, the two related snacks are often sold by the same stall."
They are made from a sweet batter that is cooked on a hot griddle, a special frying pan with small round "wells" (resembling a Æbleskiver
but with smaller and more of the round "wells") and with them set on hot coals in the fire or more commonly, on an electrical heat generator. The egg batter is poured over the special frying pan and heated; the small ovals of eggettes are thus formed. In addition to the conventional "egg taste", they are also available in a variety of flavours such as chocolate, green-tea and ginger, etc. Most pancakes are quick bread
s, although some are also made using a yeast
-raised or ferment
ed batter
. Eggettes can be eaten at different times of the day depending on local tradition.
Pancake
A pancake is a thin, flat, round cake prepared from a batter, and cooked on a hot griddle or frying pan. Most pancakes are quick breads; some use a yeast-raised or fermented batter. Most pancakes are cooked one side on a griddle and flipped partway through to cook the other side...
or ball waffle
Waffle
A waffle is a batter- or dough-based cake cooked in a waffle iron patterned to give a distinctive and characteristic shape. There are many variations based on the type and shape of the iron and the recipe used....
popular in the Cantonese-speaking regions of China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, including Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
and Macau
Macau
Macau , also spelled Macao , is, along with Hong Kong, one of the two special administrative regions of the People's Republic of China...
. The food item is also referred to as an egg puff, egg waffle, bubble waffle or by its Cantonese name, gai daan jai (鷄蛋仔), and is made from eggs, sugar, flour, and light evaporated milk. They are best served hot, and often eaten plain. They can also be served with fruit and flavors such as strawberry, coconut or chocolate. They are sometimes referred to as "Hong Kong cakes" in Chinatowns across America, especially in New York.
Eggettes are one of the most popular Hong Kong "street snacks" and was ranked No.3 in the 50 most popular HK "street snack". They have been a favoured street snack in HK since their emergence in 1950s and were made with coal fire heating, sold from street kiosks in Hong Kong in the early days.
The origins of the eggette or gai daan jai (which literally translates to "little chicken eggs") are unknown, despite being ingrained in the memories of Hong Kongers young and old. "One story says the enterprising post-war generation created the egg-shaped mold to make up for an eggless batter, as eggs used to be a luxury. Another tale points to street hawkers who bought damaged eggs on the cheap to work them into a batter, resulting in the classic golden color of the cake. It also is reasonable to suggest that the special iron skillet used to mold the gai daan tsai is a Hong Kong take on the traditional checkered European waffle press. Today, the two related snacks are often sold by the same stall."
They are made from a sweet batter that is cooked on a hot griddle, a special frying pan with small round "wells" (resembling a Æbleskiver
Æbleskiver
Æbleskiver are traditional Danish pancakes in a distinctive shape of a sphere. Somewhat similar in texture to American pancakes crossed with a popover, æbleskiver are solid like a pancake but light and fluffy like a popover...
but with smaller and more of the round "wells") and with them set on hot coals in the fire or more commonly, on an electrical heat generator. The egg batter is poured over the special frying pan and heated; the small ovals of eggettes are thus formed. In addition to the conventional "egg taste", they are also available in a variety of flavours such as chocolate, green-tea and ginger, etc. Most pancakes are quick bread
Quick bread
Quick bread is an American term used to denote a type of bread which is leavened with leavening agents other than yeast. Quick breads includes many cakes, brownies and cookies, as well as banana bread, beer bread, cornbread, biscuits, muffins, pancakes, scones, and soda bread.-History::"Quick...
s, although some are also made using a yeast
Yeast
Yeasts are eukaryotic micro-organisms classified in the kingdom Fungi, with 1,500 species currently described estimated to be only 1% of all fungal species. Most reproduce asexually by mitosis, and many do so by an asymmetric division process called budding...
-raised or ferment
Fermentation (food)
Fermentation in food processing typically is the conversion of carbohydrates to alcohols and carbon dioxide or organic acids using yeasts, bacteria, or a combination thereof, under anaerobic conditions. Fermentation in simple terms is the chemical conversion of sugars into ethanol...
ed batter
Batter (cooking)
Batter is a semi-liquid mixture of one or more flours combined with liquids such as water, milk or eggs used to prepare various foods. Often a leavening agent such as baking powder is included to aerate and fluff up the batter as it cooks, or the mixture may be naturally fermented for this purpose...
. Eggettes can be eaten at different times of the day depending on local tradition.