Xiantao Guokui

Xiantao Guokui

　　Xiantao Guokui

　　 Guokui is a type of baked flatbread made by chefs from 365 early-rising bakeries using wheat flour mixed with fermented starter dough, edible alkali, baking soda, and other ingredients. The dough is kneaded, placed in a basin covered with cloth, and left to rise. Once the dough has proofed, it is shaped into various forms and baked in a pan until cooked through. The types of Guokui are distinguished by the kind of pan used; those baked in a concave pan (flat pan), a lidded pan, or over a wood-fired stove include “Chopped Guokui” and “Lard Guokui.” Those baked in a barrel oven are locally called “straw shoe boards” or “stool legs.” The most traditional type in the Mianyang area is Chopped Guokui. In the 1960s and 70s, state-run eateries in market towns sold Chopped Guokui every day.

　　 If you buy Chopped Guokui and let it sit for a few days before boiling it, it’s said to be nourishing for deficiencies. A Chopped Guokui can be as big as a sieve. When you go to buy one, you just tell the vendor how much you want in money terms, and they will chop off a piece of that size for you right on the cutting board. Most are chopped into triangular shapes, hence the name “Chopped Guokui.” There is usually a hollow circle in the middle of the Guokui. The knife cuts outward from the center. “Doggy doggy don’t bite, cut me a piece of Guokui for breakfast...”

　　 Chopped Guokui is baked in a wood-fired oven. First, the lidded pan is inverted over the earthen stove and heated. The lidded pan is usually a large cooking pot or even a cracked one. Three iron hooks are attached to the rim of the pan, connected by a rope to a horizontal wooden stick with the hooks on it; one end of the rope is hung from the ceiling beam, using the principle of leverage to move the lidded pan without burning your hands or using too much effort. Hardwood such as cotton stalks or tree branches is burned to heat the lidded pan—no problem if it gets red-hot. Heating the lidded pan is meant to bake the top of the Guokui. Once the lidded pan is hot, the chef sprinkles some roasted sesame seeds on the round, kneaded dough, then places it in the concave pan. Only one Chopped Guokui can be baked at a time. Using two concave grips, the edge of the pan is lifted, the wooden stick is pressed to raise the lidded pan, and it is moved off the stove surface. The concave pan is then placed on the stove and covered with the lidded pan. At this point, only fuel like straw or millet stalks is added to the fire. With steam rising from below and heat from above, after a few fuel sticks, the Guokui is done, and the next one is baked. Chopped Guokui does not need to be flipped while baking. The inside of the Chopped Guokui has a honeycomb-like texture and is soft and fluffy; the crust is thick and crispy. People say the Guokui looks like two shells (describing a haggard woman), but it tastes deliciously crisp and fragrant.

　　 Barrel Guokui is baked in a cylindrical oven, often with an inner lining made of earthenware water jars. The bottom of the oven is heated with burning charcoal. The kneaded dough is stretched into a rectangular shape, resembling a straw shoe board or stool leg... It is then spread in the hand and pressed onto the preheated oven wall, where it sticks immediately. This method is similar to how ancient armies would heat stones to bake flatbreads for food when lacking proper cookware (there was once a general who only issued flour to soldiers without any pots). Soon after being pressed on, the dough begins to form air pockets and is quickly baked. It is then lifted out with tongs and can be eaten right away, with fragrant sesame and the crispy shell of the “stool leg.”

　　 Lard Guokui is also baked in a concave pan, similar to Chopped Guokui, but its shape is rectangular rather than as long as a stool leg. The interior of Lard Guokui is thick and layered, brushed with lard on top. It has a rich flavor, with sesame, garlic sprouts, and a delicious taste that makes it addictive and satisfying.

　　 Guokui can serve as a versatile type of dry ration, and other types of Guokui are derived from it. People in Xiantao love to drink wonton soup and eat Guokui, considering it the best breakfast. When visiting relatives, a few pieces are often brought along in the basket.

　　 December 2011, Zhang Caifu. Written in Urumqi.