Wuping Popcorn

Wuping Popcorn

　　Wuping Popcorn

　　The popcorn from Wuping (locally called "sugar umbrella rice") is made with particular care—skipping any step or failing to control the heat properly can affect its quality. It uses high-altitude, premium fragrant glutinous rice from the area. First, the glutinous rice is soaked in hot spring water for over ten hours, then drained and steamed in a rice container. After steaming, it is poured onto a straw mat to spread out and air-dry until it is about 70–80% dry, then pounded with a stone mortar or flattened with a stone mill. It is then fried in oil and scooped out once it floats to the surface and cools. The pot is cleaned, honey and maltose are added, and the sugar is melted over low heat. The cooled popcorn is then added to the pot, stirred evenly, and scooped onto a winnowing basket to be pressed while still hot. Once it has cooled slightly but is not too hot, it is cut into pieces slightly larger than matchboxes to complete the process. When fully cooled, it is stored in a jar and sealed, remaining unspoiled for a long time.

　　Every year during the first lunar month, when visiting the area, I’ve tasted popcorn from many households. Each family stores and packages their popcorn differently—some are golden yellow with splashes of red flowers, others mixed with black sesame, ginger powder, peanuts, walnuts, or almond fragments. Eating a piece of their popcorn along with a sip of rich, fragrant tea is truly an exquisite experience.