Xing'an Baba

Xing'an Baba

　　In the past, during the Spring Festival in the Guilin area, people from the countryside would visit relatives in town and always bring a load of baba as gifts. The baba were round as full moons, white as jade and snow. Kept in a water vat and the water changed regularly, they could stay fresh for a year or more without spoiling. When toasted over a fire, the baba would slowly become soft and fluffy, then wrapped with crispy candy — absolutely delicious. The baba from Xing'an were the most famous, hence the name Xing'an Baba. Gradually, during festivals, townspeople would also take rice to the countryside to have it processed into baba, becoming a major folk custom in Guilin.

　　There are many ways to eat glutinous rice baba: cut into small pieces and deep-fried, they become crispy outside and soft inside, and when dipped in osmanthus sugar, they have a unique flavor; you can also put a little oil in a pan, gently heat a whole piece over low heat, mix some osmanthus sugar with water, pour it into the pan, flip it a couple of times, and it’s ready to serve; with a microwave, it’s even more convenient — just place the baba in a bowl or on a plate and heat for a few seconds. Make a small slit on the side, stuff in some osmanthus sugar, and enjoy it cleanly and neatly like eating a pastry.

　　For those who don’t like sweet food, you can sauté some chopped scallions in a pan, add a little water and salt, bring the water to a boil, then add diced glutinous rice baba. Once the water boils, it’s ready to eat.