Nanyang Rice Cake

Nanyang Rice Cake

　　Rice cake is one of the most popular delicacies in southern China, especially among the Hakka people. It is traditionally made during festivals or harvest seasons, symbolizing joy, reunion, and abundance.

　　Rice cakes are found in various counties and cities across western Fujian, but Nanyang rice cakes are the most renowned. In Nanyang Town, Shanghang County, nearly every household knows how to make them. Although rice cakes can still occasionally be found in local markets these days, the machine-made versions lack authenticity—they often still have a grainy texture and fall short in terms of fragrance, chewiness, and sweetness. The 23rd day of the third lunar month is the local temple fair day in the Nanyang area, and a reporter witnessed the entire process of making Nanyang rice cakes on-site.

　　Rice cakes are made from glutinous rice, characterized by their stickiness, chewiness, smoothness, and aroma—a taste that no other food can quite match.

　　The specific process of making rice cakes involves soaking the rice, steaming it, pounding it, forming the dough, and mixing in ingredients. First, the glutinous rice is washed to remove the husks and impurities, then soaked for over four hours before being drained and steamed in a rice steamer until 90% cooked. The steamed rice is then poured into a stone mortar and pounded with a foot-operated pestle or a handheld “T”-shaped mallet. Because glutinous rice is naturally sticky and the grains are extremely hot, a basin of cold water and someone designated to “rescue the rice cake” must be on hand.

　　The person assigned to “rescue the rice cake” must act boldly and precisely—both to prevent the rice cake from sticking and to avoid getting hit on the head or hands. In Nanyang, a wooden mallet is used to pound the rice cake, which is a strenuous task only fit for strong men; those with less strength will quickly tire. Pounding the rice cake is both a skillful and physically demanding job—it requires accuracy, stability, and force to ensure the glutinous rice is evenly and elastically compressed. Even in freezing weather, this task can leave one drenched in sweat.

　　Once the glutinous rice has been pounded into a sticky dough, the next step is forming the rice cakes. The dough is hand-shaped into small, fist-sized balls, flattened, and placed in a winnowing basket to set. There are many ways to eat rice cakes, and the condiments used are equally diverse—some include fried soybean powder, others sesame powder, or sweeteners like brown sugar and white sugar. Rice cakes can be pan-fried, grilled over charcoal, or even heated in a microwave.

　　The most enjoyable way to eat rice cakes is grilled. In the cold, damp mountain winters, families often light a hearth for warmth and gather around it. The rice cakes are placed on the charcoal of a brazier and slowly puff up as they grill, making a crackling sound. When the surface begins to dome slightly like a bun, it’s time to pierce the skin—this releases a puff of steam. Bite into the outer-crispy, inner-soft, golden-brown-and-white treat that feels like a “gold-wrapped silver” delight. Though soft and pillowy in the hand, be careful to avoid burning your mouth and tongue.

　　According to local chronicles: “The glutinous rice is pounded in a stone trough into a paste, then pressed into a round shape, resembling a full moon. Larger ones may be about one chi and five cun (approximately 50 cm) in diameter, while ordinary ones are around four cun (about 13 cm).” The most skilled Hakka women often make a few extra-large rice cakes, weighing as little as three to five jin (1.5–2.5 kg), or even over ten jin (5 kg+). These are called “broken-basket cakes,” symbolizing “a bumper grain harvest” and showcasing the Hakka people’s generosity and hospitality.