Playdate Special: Popiah or Taiwanese Crepes

Lunar New Year festivities typically last two weeks and the opportunities to feast on scrumptious foods abound. Among the many happy and delicious memories I have of my early childhood growing up in Taiwan, I recall the popiah or Taiwanese crepes were greatly favored by those of us in the ten and under set, because we could assemble and customize our own rolls. For our February potluck, I chose the Taiwanese crepes as a main dish to celebrate and to introduce the kids to the fun of a popiah party.

Unlike flour sheets used for spring or egg rolls which are rectangular, thicker and require longer steaming or frying time, these circular and thinner crepes can be steam-cooked in less time. Typical fillings include meat such as pork or chicken and vegetables such as cabbages, carrots, mushrooms, and bamboo shoots. An array of sauces such as Hoisin, sweet hot sauce, chili sauce guarantees everyone can find a favorite. Ground peanuts is a popular garnish but optional.

Eating wrapped foods during the Lunar New Year festivities is considered auspicious because they symbolize money or treasure bags. To round out the meal, Darienne brought a shrimp appetizer (symbolizing dragon) and Anna a side of long beans (symbolizing longevity). For dessert, we enjoyed Anna's mango pudding (the color representing tiger) and a baked sweet rice cake (symbolizing prosperity).

Taiwanese Crepes

The paper-thin crepes can be found in Asian supermarket's frozen section. Read the label and purchase the type that requires a quick steaming as opposed to the type that requires pan-frying or deep-frying.

Since these crepes are thinner, it takes practice to make rolls without breaking them. One tip is to drain the excess liquid from the filling. Another trick is to double up two sheets.

A fun party tip: use stalks of scallion as sauce spreaders or "paintbrushes." Trim off a few inches the green ends and make cuts without severing the tip.

1 package rice crepes

1 pound pork tenderloin, cut into thin strips

1 pound cabbage, julienned

3 medium carrots, julienned

3 tablespoons soy sauce

1 teaspoon pepper salt

1 tablespoon sesame oil

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 bunch cilantro, rinsed and trimmed

1 bunch scallions, julienned

2 cups mung bean sprouts

assortment of sauces

1 pound Taiwanese sausages, cooked and thinly sliced (optional)

Marinade the pork with 1/2 teaspoon pepper salt, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, and 1/2 tablespoon sesame oil and let sit for 15 minutes. In a wok or large frying pan, heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil and stir fry the pork for a few minutes until no longer pink and remove from heat. Heat remaining vegetable oil over medium high heat and toss in cabbages and carrots. Stir fry until soft and add in 1/2 teaspoon pepper salt, 2 tablespoons soy sauce and reduce heat and let simmer for 10 minutes. Toss in cooked pork and let simmer for another 1o minutes. Drizzle remaining sesame oil.

Ladle one spoonful of filling onto a crepe. Add sausages and other vegetables and sauces as desired. Roll up like burrito and enjoy!