Puffed Rice Cake

Puffed Rice Cake

　　Puffed Rice Cake

　　Puffed Rice Cake (米花糕) can generally be divided into three types: the first is “Dried Rice Puffed Cake.” It is made by steaming premium glutinous rice, pouring it into a bamboo “large mold,” covering it tightly with a damp cloth, and leaving it sealed for three days (i.e., three days). After opening, a small handful of peanut oil is used to rub the clumped sticky rice into individual grains (avoid clumping), then it is sun-dried. These preparations are generally done after the winter harvest. Processing of the rice cake begins in early December of the lunar calendar, and the procedure is typically divided into four steps: the dried rice is sunned for another midday; the second step is stir-frying until puffed (using sea sand added to the heated pot); the third step involves taking the fried rice out of the pot, repeatedly rubbing it by hand, and sifting out the sand using a chaff sieve to obtain clean puffed rice; the fourth step is boiling white sugar, while mixing the puffed rice with peanuts, black sesame seeds, and other ingredients evenly. When the sugar reaches the right cooking stage (a little citric acid, malt, and honey are added while boiling the sugar), the heat is quickly turned off, the puffed rice mixture is poured into another prepared pot, quickly stirred and taken out of the pot, spread evenly in a wooden tray, pressed flat and compacted with a wooden roller, then cut into squares or small strips—thus forming the Dried Rice Puffed Cake. It has a deliciously crispy, refreshing taste and is incredibly sweet.

　　Little Rice Puffed Cake: commonly known as seed rice. The seed rice is harvested in clusters (shaped like a cat’s tail), then threshed, dehulled, steamed, sun-dried, and milled white (in the past, a wooden pestle and stone were used for milling). The processing method is the same as that for Dried Rice Puffed Cake. It is a top-grade treat for welcoming honored guests. When chewed carefully, it fills the mouth with fragrance and leaves an endless aftertaste.

　　Plain Rice Puffed Cake: ordinary paddy rice is soaked thoroughly, then steamed in a large pot until cooked, sun-dried, dehulled, and stir-fried into puffed rice. The processing steps are the same as above.