Heel Ci

Heel Ci

　　Heel Ci, shaped like a heel, golden in color and fragrant in taste, is a snack highly favored by the people of Shaowu.

　　 The specific method of making it is as follows: select high-quality glutinous rice and indica rice, mix them in a certain proportion, soak them, then grind them into rice slurry. Pour the slurry into a hot wok and stir until semi-cooked before removing from the heat. During the stirring process, an appropriate amount of natural brine is poured in gradually. Locals burn alkaline-rich plants into ash, soak them in water, and filter out natural lye water to be used in making Heel Ci. Next, the semi-cooked rice slurry is kneaded into strips, cut into half-centimeter-thick round cakes with a knife, and then shaped into oval thin slices with upturned edges and a concave center, resembling something pressed out by a heel. Then, stack 5 to 6 slices on top of each other and steam them in a steamer basket over high heat. While steaming, pieces of pork belly rice meat are placed on top of the Heel Ci. When taken out of the steamer, the Heel Ci is glossy and shiny, and its fragrant aroma can be detected from afar, instantly whetting one’s appetite.

　　 When eating, place a piece of pork belly rice meat on a bowl of Heel Ci and dip it in chili sauce. The pork belly rice meat is savory, rich but not greasy, and each bite fills your mouth with fragrance; the Heel Ci, fused with the spicy aroma, leaves you salivating.