Menglian Cold Rice Rolls

Menglian Cold Rice Rolls

　　The making of cold rice rolls follows a traditional and time-honored process. First, high-quality rice is carefully selected and ground with water from Longtan in Qiaojia to produce the right consistency of rice slurry. Then, the slurry is scooped onto a plate and spread into an extremely thin layer. After steaming over controlled heat until fully cooked, it is cooled and then the delicate, veil-like cold rice roll sheets are carefully peeled off. Once made, there is still one of the most crucial steps — preparing the seasonings: rich yet not greasy sesame oil, peanut oil, and walnut oil, along with spicy Qiaojia prickly ash oil, chili oil, minced ginger, chopped scallions, mashed garlic, plus soy sauce, vinegar, salt, MSG, pickled vegetables, and cilantro. The result is a dish that excites all senses — color, aroma, and flavor — and will have you drooling with anticipation.

At cold rice roll stalls, the thin and delicate rolls can be easily lifted, smoothed out, and then evenly coated with the seasonings before being rolled up. They are then enjoyed slowly and delicately or devoured in big bites. Stalls are especially concentrated under the banyan trees by Longtan in eastern Qiaojia. These rolls not only attract visitors from far and wide, but also gained fame when a host from Yunnan TV, while filming a travel show in Qiaojia, was caught on camera personally rolling up a highly praised Qiaojia cold rice roll and delightfully taking a big bite.