Yuexi Maoxiang Rice Cake

Yuexi Maoxiang Rice Cake

　　Maoxiang is a common wild wormwood found in the mountains, which usually sprouts tender shoots in the second or third lunar month. Its green leaves are fuzzy to the touch and emit a fragrant aroma, hence locals commonly call it maoxiang. The tender maoxiang is crushed into a paste and mixed with rice flour made from a blend of indica rice and glutinous rice, resulting in a dark green maoxiang rice cake that is aromatic and very tasty.

　　The maoxiang rice cake is fragrant, delicious, and beautifully colored. It is a specialty of the Huangshan area in Anhui Province. Legend has it that eating maoxiang rice cake on the third day of the third lunar month can help “retain one’s soul.”