Why people love Hong Kong-style egg waffles and best places to eat them
Hong Kong-style egg waffles are one of the city's most beloved street snacks.
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Called gai daan zai – 'little chicken eggs' – in Cantonese and also simply 'egg puffs' in English, these golden treats have been around in Hong Kong since the 1950s.
Unlike Western waffles, which have a grid-like pattern, Hong Kong's egg waffles are covered in small oval-shaped bubbles, which may have inspired the name 'little eggs'.
The batter is typically made with eggs, flour, sugar and evaporated milk. When cooked just right, the waffle has a thin, crispy layer on the outside and a deliciously contrasting soft and chewy texture inside, as well as little air pockets where the 'bubbles' are.
An egg waffle from Master Low-Key in Shau Kei Wan. Photo: Instagram/master_low_key_food_shop
The street snack is a uniquely Hong Kong one that occupies a special place in many Hongkongers' hearts.
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'I used to beg my mom for egg waffles after school,' says Queenie Chan, a 46-year-old Hongkonger who still buys them occasionally to relive her childhood memories.
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