Glutinous Rice Rolls (Lǘdǎgǔnr)

Glutinous Rice Rolls (Lǘdǎgǔnr)

　　Glutinous Rice Rolls

　　Glutinous Rice Rolls, also called Bean Flour Cake, is one of the ancient snack varieties from Lan County. Its ingredients consist of yellow millet flour steamed with water, with the dough made slightly softer by adding a bit more water during mixing. Separately, soybeans are roasted and then ground into powder. During preparation, the steamed and yellowed millet dough is coated on the outside with soybean flour, rolled into sheets, then spread with red bean paste (or brown sugar), rolled up, cut into pieces of about 100 grams, and sprinkled with white sugar to finish. The process requires the filling to be evenly rolled, with distinct layers, presenting a yellow exterior. Its characteristics are that it is fragrant, sweet, sticky, and has a rich aroma of roasted soybean powder.

　　Why is it called “Glutinous Rice Rolls (Lǘdǎgǔnr)”? It seems to be a figurative metaphor—after being made, the snack is rolled in soybean flour, resembling a real donkey rolling in the wild and kicking up dust, hence the name. Even earlier generations questioned this. The book *Miscellaneous Poems on Small Snacks of Yan Capital* states: “The brown sugar filling is cleverly arranged, the yellow dough forms a ball with beans buried inside. Why is it commonly called ‘Donkey Rolling in the Dust’? The name is rather facetious.” It also says: “Roast soybeans and sticky rice, steamed and wrapped with brown sugar filling, rolled in fried soybean flour, then placed on a plate for sale. Naming it ‘Donkey Rolling in the Dust’ is truly an unimaginable title.” It shows that the name “Glutinous Rice Rolls” has become an established term. Nowadays, many people only know the nickname or colloquial name but not its formal title. Currently, various snack shops offer it all year round, but most no longer use yellow millet flour, switching instead to glutinous rice flour. Because it is coated with roasted soybean flour on the outside, its color remains yellow, making it a very popular snack among the public.