Shan Yang Maltose

Shan Yang Maltose

　　“Clang, clang, clang... Sugar for trade, sugar for trade, delicious maltose, old sandals, old plastic buckets for trade...” Every time I heard that familiar clanging and hawking voice in the courtyard, I’d dash out of the house as fast as I could, clutching the broken old sandals (plastic ones), toothpaste tubes, or other plastic items I had saved up during the week, and run toward the sound.

　　　　A carrying pole, two baskets, and the old grandpa still smiled at us little rascals who were dying for a taste. The candy on the tray in the basket was always so tempting. After some haggling, the old man placed his polished crescent knife on the edge of the maltose, gave the back of the knife a light tap with a small hammer, and sliced off a thin piece of maltose. Then he sliced off another. With a smile, he handed me the piece with his dark hands. At that moment, all I could see were those snow-white pieces of candy—how could I care about his dark hands? Ha, one bite and it was sweet, another bite and it was crisp, held in the mouth and it melted away, leaving my mouth sticky and my teeth clicking together—it was just so sticky... Once you had one piece, you wanted another.

　　　　This is my earliest memory of maltose. Also known as glutinous rice sugar, maltose is made from wheat and glutinous rice. First, the wheat is soaked and allowed to sprout to a length of three to four centimeters, then the sprouts are chopped. Next, the glutinous rice is washed, poured into a pot, steamed, and mixed evenly with the chopped wheat sprouts. It is then left to ferment for three to four hours until juice is extracted. The juice is filtered and boiled over high heat until it thickens into a paste, which is then cooled into amber-colored sugar blocks. When eating, the sugar block is heated and stirred continuously with two wooden sticks until it turns silvery white.

　　　　The maltose from Shan Yang in Gutian, Fujian, is the most distinctive. White maltose is wrapped around roasted, crushed peanuts turned into granules—crispy on the outside, soft and chewy on the inside. To keep it dry and prevent the sugar from softening, the finished maltose is stored among roasted rice husks. The roasted rice husks give off a special aroma, blending with the sweet, fragrant, and sticky taste of the maltose. One bite and the sugar pulls into threads while peanut crumbs scatter—truly unforgettable.

　　　　Maltose is easily digested and absorbed by the human body and has therapeutic effects for conditions such as weak gastric function and intestinal stagnation.