Sanhe Ni (Three-Ingredient Paste)

Sanhe Ni

　　Sanhe Ni is a famous snack popular across much of western Sichuan. It is known for being crispy, fragrant, oily, sweet yet not greasy, soft and smooth on the palate, as well as rich in nutrition. Served with “red cabbage,” it has a uniquely distinctive style.

Preparation: Glutinous rice, black beans, and sesame seeds are stir-fried and then ground into fine powder, which is stirred into boiling water to form a paste-like batter. In a copper pot, melted lard is heated until hot, then three to five portions (though no more than ten) of the Sanhe Ni batter (depending on the number of customers), along with sesame seeds, peanut granules, and walnut granules, are added. The mixture is stir-fried over low heat until crispy and fragrant, then sugar and various candied fruit pieces are added, stirred evenly, and removed from the heat.

Sanhe Ni gets its name from the three main ingredients used and the paste-like consistency of the final product. This dish was created over fifty years ago by Dong Shushan in Chengdu and later made famous by the Guyuehu Sweet Shop, hence locals also call it “Guyuehu Sanhe Ni.” Today, there are many vendors selling Sanhe Ni in Chengdu, but the best versions are said to come from the Guyuehu Sweet Shop and the Xueyuan Sweet Shop. (Chengdu)