Pomelo Leaf Sticky Rice Cake

Pomelo Leaf Sticky Rice Cake

　　Pomelo Leaf Sticky Rice Cake is a unique snack found only in Gongcheng Yao Autonomous County and is hard to come by elsewhere. Its cooking process is similar to steaming buns. When steaming, place a small amount of water under the pot, and layer the food on a perforated divider plate over the pot.

　　The main ingredient of Pomelo Leaf Sticky Rice Cake is not flour, but glutinous rice flour. The glutinous rice needs to be washed and soaked in advance, then ground into powder using a machine. After grinding the glutinous rice into flour, it’s best to spread it out to dry in a cool place using a non-perforated bamboo sieve. Since the rice is turned into powder after soaking, allowing some of the moisture to evaporate helps prevent the dough from becoming too sticky when making the cakes.

　　Shape the prepared glutinous rice flour into fist-sized dough balls, then form a bowl-like center in each, as if making buns. Then start adding the filling.

　　Homemade fillings are usually much more varied than those found in store-bought buns. Common ingredients include pork, bamboo shoots, dried tofu sheets, wood ear mushrooms, taro, and chopped scallions. For a richer flavor, you can also add cured sausages or shrimp. All ingredients need only be cut into small dices—no need to mince them. Once all the ingredients are prepared, stir-fry them with oil, salt, monosodium glutamate, and other seasonings, just like cooking a dish. Add a small amount of water to mix everything evenly, but be sure not to let it boil and release water. It should be stir-fried until each grain is separate, much like fried rice where the grains are coated with egg and the egg sticks to the rice. For those who prefer sweet fillings, a sugar-based filling made by mashing brown sugar, sesame seeds, and peanuts works well.

　　The pomelo leaves must also be stir-fried in oil. Gongcheng has many pomelo trees, so picking the leaves is not difficult. Some families even grow their own pomelo trees, but if you don’t have any, you can ask for permission to pick them from fields. After picking, trim a little off both ends of each leaf with scissors. This not only makes them look nicer but also helps them sit neatly in the steamer. Stir-fry the leaves until they become translucent and glossy with oil—do not add any water.

　　Then, place the delicious filling into the dough balls, seal them tightly, and shape them into cakes. Finally, arrange them in the steamer, close together but with some space in between. Place the stir-fried pomelo leaves underneath. When the cakes are done, they will carry the fragrance of glutinous rice along with the rich, fresh aroma of pomelo leaves.