Guang bing: the Chinese version of the bagel
The guang bing doesn’t win any beauty contests: at first glance, the bun looks like a slightly crumpled sesame bagel. But don’t judge a book by it’s cover. This bun’s history is remarkable.
In 1563, Japanese pirates stormed the southern Chinese border and engaged in battle with the army of Chinese general Qi Jiguang.
On the run
Qi Jiguang quickly noticed a problem: the soldiers cooked over open fires, and the smoke that came from them repeatedly gave away their location. So the general came up with a meal his troops could eat while on the run: guang bing. He did this by baking the buns not over an open fire, but (just like naan and roti) in a clay oven.
Bun to go
But that wasn’t all: he also punched a hole in the middle of the buns, allowing the soldiers to pull a string through the bread and hang it around their necks. The bagel chain ensured that the soldiers had enough to eat without giving away their position.
Guang bing with filling
Now, 500 years later, the buns – made from flour, lard, onion and salt – are still eaten and made in exactly the same way. How do you eat them? Au naturel, but preferably filled with deliciously seasoned (stewed) meat. Mmm.
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