Three Big Cannons Glutinous Rice Cake

Three Big Cannons Glutinous Rice Cake

　　Three Big Cannons Glutinous Rice Cake is a rice-based dish known for its soft, sticky, sweet, and delicious taste. It is steamed. This dish gets its popular name "Three Big Cannons" from the loud "bang, bang, bang" sounds made when the glutinous rice cakes hit the table, accompanied by the clinking of copper bowls — a famous snack from central Sichuan.

　　How to make Three Big Cannons: M4D

　　Soak glutinous rice, wash and soak for 7 hours, then steam it in a rice steamer and pound it into a paste to make the glutinous rice cake. Roast soybeans and grind them into powder, dissolve brown sugar in hot water to make a thick syrup. M4D

　　Spread the roasted soybean powder on a shallow tray. Place a small table at the front end, with a square wooden plate on the table holding two to four sets of two or three stacked copper bowls. Before plating, shape the glutinous rice paste into three round balls, then forcefully toss them one by one toward the wooden plate. They bounce into the tray of soybean powder, getting evenly coated. The rice balls are then placed on the plate and drizzled with brown sugar syrup to complete the dish. M4D

　　Key points: Ensure the soybeans are thoroughly roasted and ground into an extremely fine powder; the sugar syrup should have the right consistency — avoid making it too watery. M4D

　　The Chengdu-style flavor of Three Big Cannons: M4D

　　In Chengdu, Sichuan Province, the “Three Big Cannons” stands out as one of the most vibrant treats in the world of snacks, falling into the performance-based cuisine category. During the traditional Qingyang Palace Flower Fair each year, various snacks compete with spring blossoms in fragrance and beauty, creating a lively atmosphere. This is also when the “Three Big Cannons” truly shines. The more crowded the place, the more competitive it becomes. Not only does it engage the sense of smell, but it also captivates the sense of hearing. First, the energetic atmosphere created by the makers draws in a crowd, especially young customers. M4D

　　On a wooden board, 12 copper plates are arranged in two stacked rows. Beneath the board sits a steaming iron pot filled with cooked glutinous rice that has been pounded into a paste. A strong man continuously scoops out clumps of the sticky rice, divides them into three pieces, and rhythmically tosses them out. The glutinous rice balls bounce across the board and land in a tray of soybean powder placed above it, producing three loud “bangs” reminiscent of cannon fire. Then, three rice balls are scooped into a plate, drizzled with brown sugar, and sprinkled with sesame seeds — thus creating the famous snack known as “Three Big Cannons.” No wonder Ms. Li Xiuhuan, known as a “citizen of the world,” after watching the performance of making Three Big Cannons, remarked: “The world is truly wonderful — you won’t know until you see it. Chengdu actually has such a vibrant and lively snack — it’s truly eye-opening!” M4D

　　Of course, the brown sugar glutinous rice cake of “Three Big Cannons” doesn’t just win customers over with its performance — its soft texture, sweetness, and fragrant aroma leave a lasting impression. There are many shops in Chengdu that make Three Big Cannons brown sugar cold glutinous rice cakes, but “Fudu Xuan Haozi Dong” is especially renowned for its authentic flavor and high quality. In 1990, after evaluation organized by the Chengdu Municipal Government, the Three Big Cannons from Fulu Xuan Haozi Dong were awarded the title of “Chengdu Famous Snack.” Li Changqing from Shuangliu County, Chengdu, makes Three Big Cannons using a family recipe. In June 1990, at the Second Chengdu Individual Famous Snacks Exhibition, his version won a Traditional Award; in 1989, Li Changqing performed in Guangzhou, where his skills caused a sensation, impressing sweet-loving Cantonese who praised Chengdu snacks as “stunningly skillful and unmatched in artistry.” M4D