Steamed Rice Cake is also a food made from finely broken rice, but its preparation method differs somewhat from that of Zhenren Cake. Zhenren Cake involves grinding the rice into powder, stir-frying it to semi-cooked, and then steaming it. In contrast, Steamed Rice Cake requires the rice slurry to be hung and fermented. The fermented cake batter develops tiny pearl-like holes on the top and bottom, and it has a fragrant aroma reminiscent of rice wine. When steaming, if a round shape is desired, small iron hoops (typically about the size of a mooncake) are placed inside the steamer basket, lined with fine white cloth, and ladles of the prepared rice slurry are poured into each hoop. Alternatively, the slurry can be poured directly into a steamer lined with fine white cloth. A sprinkle of red and green candied threads can be added, and it is then steamed over high heat in boiling water for about twenty minutes until cooked. Once cut open with a string, it often forms diamond shapes. Steamed Rice Cake is snow-white in color, soft, sweet, and moist, with a pleasant texture and flavor, making it a popular seasonal snack in summer and autumn.
Among cooked foods primarily made from ground rice, Yingcheng has an ancient and unique traditional snack called Zhenren Cake, also known as Ting Cake. Vendors carry shoulder poles and tap bamboo clappers as they make, steam, and sell the cake fresh on the street. Customers gather around the pole, eagerly buying and snacking while waiting. Only one steamer can be used at a time,…
Sand Cake is a unique pastry snack from Changjiangpu. The best-known maker of Sand Cake is Yu Liangou. When he makes it, you can clearly see the flaky layers inside after breaking it apart—there can be as many as five or six layers. While others use lard to make Sand Cake, he uses sesame oil. Moreover, he pays special attention to the wind direction when kneading the dough. He gets up at midnight every day to start kneading the dough…
On Sanhe Store Street, a similar type of pancake is made and called “Goulu Pancakes.” During preparation, the surface features four raised claw-like edges, each sprinkled with sesame seeds, then baked in a stove. They are retrieved from the oven using a hook and have a very crispy texture. Due to their resemblance to donkey hooves, they are also nicknamed “Donkey Hooves.”…
Guobing is slightly larger than huangsongbing (yellow crisp cake), not flaky, with thick dough around the edges, and has a pure and delicate flavor. It is usually eaten as a dry snack. At the crossroads in Chengguan, there was a man nicknamed "Golden Flea" who made particularly large and delicious guobing. However, he didn’t make many each day, so they were often in short supply. As a result, he set a rule that each person could only buy…
Yellow Crispy Cake: The top recommendation is the masterpiece of Huang Hui from Huang Jiaqinxing, who possesses unique craftsmanship. For the dough surface, the kneaded dough is poured into a basin and worked until smooth. With rapid back-and-forth hand slapping, the foam is removed, and the dough is kneaded into shape in one go, achieving neither too tough nor too soft consistency. During the kneading process, the dough is also pounded from all directions with a hammer, sliced with a knife, and repeatedly rolled and kneaded until...
Located in the central part of the Jianghan Plain, Yincheng City boasts abundant produce, numerous lakes, and rich underground mineral resources. The locals here take their food very seriously, especially the renowned Yincheng Three Braises (a set of traditional famous dishes), which are deeply loved by local diners. Method: (1) Place the pork trotter in cold water and boil until the blood is drained, then remove it. Lightly scrape off any dirt on the skin with a knife…
Yangdian Nectarines (Xiaogan)…
Yellow gardenia is a woody plant of the Rubiaceae family. All parts of this medicinal herb can be used in pharmaceuticals, offering therapeutic and health benefits to the human body, making it an indispensable ingredient in traditional Chinese medicine. …
Xiaogan Rice Wine is a local delicacy with a history of over a thousand years. It is made from high-quality glutinous rice produced in Xiaogan, fermented using the traditional method with the region’s heritage Qu (fermentation starter), and is classified as a natural, green beverage. Thanks to its carefully selected ingredients and unique brewing process, Xiaogan Rice Wine is as white as jade liquid, fragrant and enticing, sweet and refreshing, rich yet not cloying…
“Xiaogan Sesame Candy” is a famous local delicacy from Hubei Province. It is primarily made from refined glutinous rice, high-quality sesame seeds, and soft white sugar, with additional ingredients such as osmanthus and kumquat preserves. Using a traditional recipe, it is meticulously prepared through 12 production processes and 32 steps. Xiaogan Sesame Candy has a comb-like shape, a frost-white color, and an inviting aroma...
In the Langjun and Changjiangpu areas southeast of Yingcheng, there are expansive water surfaces covering over ten thousand acres in QingShui Lake and Dongxi Cha Lake. The lakes are abundant in lotus roots, among which White Lake Lotus Root is the most renowned. It has a production history of over 300 years. White Lake Lotus Root, also known as Shuangbai Lotus, is commonly referred to as White Lake Lotus or White Lotus Root. It is a unique variety cultivated over centuries by the clear lake waters and the soft, nutrient-rich silt at the bottom of the White Lake region...
Sanjie Bean Skin, a traditional specialty food of Yingcheng, has a history of over 300 years. Legend has it that during the late Ming and early Qing dynasties, three families surnamed Chen, Zhu, and Cheng successively migrated and settled more than 20 li east of Yingcheng. The heads of these three families were all men of great honor. Inspired by the oath of brotherhood between Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei in the Three Kingdoms period, they formed an eternal bond of sworn brotherhood...
Yingcheng is renowned for its abundant rice production. Archaeological findings at the Neolithic site of Taohu Lake in Silyan River, Tangchi, have uncovered remnants of rice husks, proving that rice cultivation in this area dates back over 5,000 years. More than 700 years ago, Yangling region, known as the “Granary of the Northwest,” also contributed a rare grain treasure…
The cultivation of water chestnuts originated in the area around Chenling (now part of Chenhe Town), hence the name "Chenling Water Chestnuts." Legend has it that their planting and harvesting began during the Guangxu period of the Qing Dynasty, and they have a history of over 100 years to date. Located near Longsai Lake, the area boasts fertile soil and abundant water sources. The water chestnuts produced here are large, thin-skinned, juicy, and crisp...
Soft-shelled turtle, also known as turtle or scientifically as Trionychidae, has meat that nourishes kidneys, moistens lungs, strengthens tendons and bones, making it a highly nutritious delicacy. Chen Ziting, the owner of Sifang Restaurant in Changjiangpu, broke away from conventional cooking methods and, after repeated refinements, created the locally distinctive “Stewed Soft-Shelled Turtle in Clear Broth.” The preparation involves extremely careful selection of ingredients and meticulous cooking techniques. The main ingredient is about one pound of live soft-shelled turtle...
In the past, wealthy families in Yingcheng would host grand full course feasts when entertaining distinguished guests or close relatives. Known as a “full course feast,” it typically included what was called the “Eight Mains, Four Small Dishes, and Twelve Side Platters.” It featured a wide variety of meats, fish, vegetables, steamed, stir-fried, braised, simmered, and deep-fried dishes, balancing meat and vegetables to aid digestion. For a long time, attending such an opulent banquet in Yingcheng was referred to as “eating the Eight Bowls.”
Twisted Cruller Mandarin Fish has long been a traditional delicacy at celebratory banquets in Yingcheng. The area is abundant in mandarin fish, and twisted crullers are a local snack. It was common during weddings for families to give away fresh mandarin fish and snacks like twisted crullers when their daughters married. As for how this dish became famous...
Changjiangpu is close to Dongxicha Lake, where a large number of blackfish are brought to market every day. However, at that time, people neither knew about the nutritional value of blackfish nor liked its taste after cooking. As a result, for a long time, very few people bought blackfish. Chen Wenting, the chef at Sifang Restaurant in Changjiangpu, noticed this and thought about how to make use of this local resource...
“Half-Moon Cake” is a traditional festive food eaten during the annual Lantern Festival. In the days leading up to the festival, people are busy sifting rice and grinding the fine grains into flour. Children carry bamboo baskets along the riverbanks and slopes, using small trowels to dig up shepherd’s purse (also known as shepherd’s purse or groundweed), which is used as the filling. The locals in Yingcheng commonly refer to celebrating the Lantern Festival as celebrating “the Half-Moon,” hence this delicate rice cake is also called “Half-Moon Cake.” When someone makes these cakes, they are also given as gifts to neighbors, relatives, and close friends, as a way of wishing each other a year full of completeness and good fortune. The steamed cakes are eaten on the day they are made, while the rest are hung in bamboo baskets. Later, during each meal, a few cakes are taken down and placed in the stove’s residual heat to be slowly warmed. After a while, they are taken out—coated with a deep yellow crust—and offer a uniquely delightful taste. In the past, there were street vendors in Yingcheng who specialized in baking these fine rice cakes. They would place the steamed cakes on the iron mesh of a stove, constantly flipping them by hand to ensure even heating. Soon, a sizzling sound would be heard, and a fragrant aroma would waft through the air. The cakes would end up baked golden and crispy on the outside, yet soft and cooked inside—truly mouthwatering.