Fried Rice of Xiantao

Fried Rice of Xiantao

　　Fried rice is a convenient food prepared by locals for emergencies. Simply put, after soaking glutinous rice, it is steamed in a wooden steamer to become "yinmi" (called fanmi in the Xiantao area), then air-dried. Next, it is stir-fried with river sand to create puffed rice — this is fried rice. When eating, the fried rice is placed in a bowl, poured over with boiling water, and mixed with salt or sugar to make a meal. There are various types of fried rice back home: some are made from glutinous millet (millet), some from glutinous sorghum, but the main type is made from glutinous rice.

　　 Speaking of the origin of fried rice, legend has it that during the reign of Emperor Xiaozong of the Ming Dynasty, the concubine of Prince Xing suffered from morning sickness and could not eat anything. A cook had a bright idea and brought out some fried rice from his home, which greatly stimulated the concubine’s appetite. From then on, fried rice entered the imperial court as a tribute and became an excellent gift for family and friends. “Bought four chickens, fifty eggs, some fried rice, and festive items, and personally went to the county to offer congratulations” — this is a description of fried rice in Chapter 3 of The Scholars. Also, in Family Letters of Banqiao, it says: “In the cold of winter, when relatives and friends come to visit, first brew a large bowl of fried rice, accompanied by a small dish of pickles — the best way to warm the elderly and comfort the poor.” Indeed, in those tough times of the past, the warm and comforting feeling of eating fried rice is something people find hard to forget.

　　 In Xiantao, as Zheng Banqiao said: “When relatives and friends come to visit, first brew a large bowl of fried rice.” People in Xiantao place great emphasis on hospitality. When guests arrive, they are first served “tea” — to tide them over before the main meal is prepared: some will fry a few egg patties, others will serve a bowl of shredded pork noodles, or cook glutinous rice balls with fermented glutinous rice wine, etc. All of these are accompanied by the host scooping out a handful of fried rice to add while eating. In fact, serving fried rice to guests as a gesture of respect also occurs in many situations: at banquets in Xiantao, the first meal of the day includes boxed dishes, noodles, and of course rice. While guests are eating noodles, the host will bring out fried rice for them to add. The same goes for when a family invites craftsmen over. It seems that if guests are having something liquid-based and no fried rice is added, there is always concern that the guests might not be full.

　　 The process of making fried rice is quite complex. First is the preparation of “yinmi” (air-dried rice). Processed glutinous rice is soaked for two to three days, rinsed with clean water, drained, and then steamed in a wooden steamer. While still hot, the steamed rice is spread out on a mat to dry, known as “drying fanmi in the main hall — air-drying,” and the dried rice is rubbed into individual grains by hand. Those that don’t rub apart are sifted out with a rice sieve as “heads,” then taken to the mill to be “scraped” (ground). Finally, the fanmi is sun-dried for several days. This is how fanmi (yinmi) is made. The dried fanmi is stored in plastic bags, and since it is already cooked, care must be taken to prevent moisture and protect it from rats.

　　 What people in Xiantao refer to as inviting relatives and friends to eat glutinous rice actually involves steaming glutinous rice along with steamed dishes. The glutinous rice is fragrant and sweet, sticky in texture, and eating too much can feel “overwhelming” (a kind of greasy sensation).

　　 “Yinmi” (fanmi) is highly nutritious. When a new mother is in her postpartum period, her mother will send several liters of yinmi to help nourish her daughter’s body: the yinmi is steamed inside a pig’s stomach, resulting in aromatic and flavorful “yinmi rice” with a rich oily taste. The pig’s stomach is used to make soup for the new mother, which is also not greasy. Yinmi has many uses: it can be cooked into “yinmi porridge” or made into “suo yi yuan zi” (raincoat dumplings), among other dishes.

　　 Stir-frying “fried rice” is called “stir-frying the spicy pot” in Xiantao. There are also many taboos in the countryside. For example, on the 25th of the twelfth lunar month, which is said to be the wedding day of the rats, one cannot “stir-fry the spicy pot,” because the reasoning is “if you stir-fry them all day, they’ll stir-fry you all year.” The methods for stir-frying fried rice in Xiantao include: first placing the yinmi under the sun to “toast” it slightly, then putting it into an iron pot to “warm” it before “stir-frying the spicy pot,” ensuring the yinmi is thoroughly dry so the fried rice turns out crispy and doesn’t “stick to the mouth.” Stir-frying fried rice is not done with a spatula, but rather with several mugwort stalks about a meter long, tied together into a broom (commonly called a “fry pan broom”). Another tool is a “sand scoop” made by bamboo craftsmen, covered with metal mesh, mainly used to scoop out the fried rice from the hot sand in the pot and to initially sift out the hot sand from the fried rice. When stir-frying, the yinmi is poured into hot sand, and the “fry pan broom” is used to stir it rapidly. Before long, the heated yinmi pops and expands, turning into snow-white fried rice. At this point, the person stir-frying quickly removes the fried rice from the pot, tapping and sifting it with the “fry pan broom,” then pouring it onto a winnowing tray to cool. In the center of the tray is an upside-down ladle to help disperse the fried rice. Finally, a “bright sieve” is used to completely remove any remaining sand from the fried rice, after which it can be stored in an airtight container for later use. It’s best to use fuel like straw, wheat stalks, or grain husks when stir-frying the rice.

　　 After frying the rice, some also fry “sand peas” or “corn kernels” as snacks for children. The sand in the pot is scooped out and stored in jars for reuse. Fried rice is crispy and can also be eaten dry like sand peas — just grab a handful and chew, the more you chew, the more fragrant it becomes. But more often, it is eaten by pouring boiling water over it, sometimes with added white sugar (or salt) and lard. The resulting rice syrup is mixed with fried rice and cut into “sesame leaves”; fried rice made from millet is cut into “millet sesame leaves” (also called “su ma leaves”), and that made from glutinous rice is cut into “glutinous rice sesame leaves.” When making “he ye” (leaf pastries) or dumplings, adding some fried rice helps preserve them for a long time without getting soft (or spoiled). Fried rice, sesame leaves, he ye… when going out to work, farmers would pack some in small cloth bags to eat at noon — these convenient foods are indispensable.

　　 Often, around quiet alleys on street corners, you’ll see a small circle of people gathered with flickering flames — it turns out they’re making popcorn. They also pop fried rice. The master slowly rotates a small iron pot in one hand while pulling the bellows with the other, with a blue-flamed charcoal stove burning underneath. After a few minutes, the master takes the iron pot off and places it into a black leather bag, shouting: “It’s going to pop!” “It’s going to pop!” The children quickly cover their ears and bury their heads in their parents’ arms, yet they still glance sideways with curiosity. Then comes a loud “bang,” the leather bag bulges, and out pours fragrant fried rice or popcorn.

　　 I really enjoy eating fried rice. As a child, I would soak a bowl of fried rice in boiling water in the morning, add some lard and fine salt for breakfast. After finishing, on my way to school, I wouldn’t forget to grab a handful to take with me. Now, as people’s lives have become more prosperous, walking into supermarkets, there are all kinds of assorted snacks, and fried rice has become an everyday snack. Even after all these years, I still often miss the rustic flavor of the fried rice from my hometown. My attachment to my hometown and its fried rice remains as enduring and flowing as the gentle Tongshun River.