Doupi
A Wuhan breakfast dish of bean skin wrapped around savory fillings.
Doupi (豆皮; dòupí), also known as "triple delicacy doupi" (三鲜豆皮), is a Wuhan street food commonly eaten for breakfast. Its name refers to the outer casing, which is made from a mixture of green bean powder, eggs, milk, and flour. The dish was created in 1931 by a local chef who refined the traditional cooking method and later opened the well-known restaurant Laotongcheng. Originally, doupi was prepared for festivals: cooks would grind mung beans with rice into a paste, spread it thin to form a "bean skin" pancake, wrap it around sticky rice and diced meat, and then fry it. Over time, it became a standard breakfast item. The filling typically includes fresh meat, eggs, and shrimp, though an alternative version uses fresh meat, mushrooms, and bamboo shoots. The filling is pre-cooked, with ingredients diced and seasoned in a pot before being wrapped.
- origin
- Wuhan, Hubei province, China
- invented
- 1931
- inventor
- A local chef who later opened Laotongcheng restaurant
- type
- Breakfast dish, street food
- main ingredient
- Green bean powder, eggs, milk, flour, sticky rice, diced meat
Lore & Background
Doupi was invented in 1931 by a local chef who improved the traditional doupi cooking style. He later opened the famous restaurant named Laotongcheng. Originally, people made doupi as holiday meals at every festival, mixing mung beans with rice and grinding it into a paste, then spreading it into a thin pancake called 'bean skin' to wrap sticky rice and diced meat, and finally frying it. Over many years, doupi became a common breakfast food.
Reader's Guide
Doupi is significant as a representative breakfast dish of Wuhan, Hubei province, and a popular street food. Its invention in 1931 by a local chef who later established the renowned Laotongcheng restaurant marks a key moment in the dish's evolution from a festival food to an everyday breakfast. The dish's name derives from its outer layer, made from green bean powder, eggs, milk, and flour. The filling varies: one version includes fresh meat, eggs, and shrimp; another uses fresh meat, fresh mushroom, and fresh bamboo shoots. The filling is prepared ahead of time, with ingredients cut into small pieces and cooked with several seasonings. Doupi's legacy lies in its transformation from a holiday specialty to a staple of Wuhan's street food culture, reflecting the city's culinary innovation and the enduring appeal of its savory, portable breakfasts.
Did You Know?
- Doupi is also called 'triple delicacy doupi' (三鲜豆皮, sānxiān dòupí).
- The dish was invented in 1931 by a local chef who later opened the restaurant Laotongcheng.
- Originally, doupi was made as a holiday meal at every festival, using mung beans and rice ground into a paste.
- One filling variation includes fresh meat, fresh mushroom, and fresh bamboo shoots.
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