Tóngyè Pàobā (Tung Leaf Steamed Cake)

Tóngyè Pàobā (Tung Leaf Steamed Cake)

　　A food made from fermented rice flour batter, which outsiders call various names such as fermented cake, white cake, steamed cake, or rice cake, but locals in Junlian refer to it as pàobā (steamed cake). Depending on its shape and ingredients, it also goes by other names such as white pàobā, bowl-shaped pàobā, and tung leaf pàobā. This soft and sweet food suits all ages and is widely loved. There are two local sayings in Junlian: one is “Children love children, elders love cakes,” referring to how elders with poor teeth enjoy this kind of pàobā; the other is a folk rhyme “With little money, you can’t buy pàobā,” a saying from market trade. These two lines show just how much the people of Junlian cherish their pàobā. Among the many types, the most proud is the pork lard pàobā wrapped in tung leaves.

　　The rice flour batter is fermented and then mixed with minced fresh pork lard and brown sugar. It is wrapped in tung leaves into an isosceles triangular shape and steamed over high heat in a steamer until cooked, becoming Tóngyè Pàobā. When it comes out of the steamer, it is fluffy, bubbly, shiny, golden in color, sweet and tasty—leaving your mouth feeling oily yet not greasy. That’s the impression Tóngyè Pàobā leaves. Pork lard pàobā is not only enjoyed as food but also used figuratively to describe people. Many compliment a child’s good looks by saying “This child is as soft and fluffy as a pàobā.” A line from the Sichuan opera "Advising the Husband" sings: “People all say Young Master Qiu is soft and fluffy,” which carries the same implication. This shows just how beloved pàobā is. During the annual Dragon Boat Festival in Junlian, almost every household buys Tóngyè Pàobā—both for personal consumption and as gifts to others—showcasing deep affection. In other regions, the Dragon Boat Festival is marked only by making zongzi (sticky rice dumplings) to commemorate Qu Yuan. Why do the people of Junlian make Tóngyè Pàobā in addition to zongzi during the festival? Anyway, this is a longstanding custom in Junlian, passed down through generations to this day.