Hanzhong Mianpi (Rice or Wheat Skin)

Hanzhong Mianpi

　　Mianpi is hailed as the foremost of the “Four Delicacies” among Hanzhong’s local snacks. It is made by soaking rice (originally flour) in water for four hours, then grinding (or pounding) it into a milky slurry. The slurry is steamed into thin pancakes, which are cooled in a ventilated area, brushed with rapeseed oil, sliced into fine strips, and seasoned with refined salt, rice vinegar, soy sauce, pepper, ginger juice, mashed garlic, and red chili oil, among other seasonings. After mixing, it is ready to eat. It can also be served with shredded radish or bean sprouts, presenting a white with hints of red appearance, or paired with spinach for a green-and-white contrast. It has a mildly spicy and salty flavor, tangy and delicious. Since ancient times, the people of Hanzhong have had the custom of serving mianpi to family and friends.

　　Mianpi originated during the Qin and Han dynasties. Legend has it that when Liu Bang was made king in Hanzhong, he ordered Xiao He to construct the Shanhé Weir, bringing consecutive years of bumper grain harvests. To improve their daily diet, farmers diluted flour with water, steamed it into thin pancakes, sliced them into strips, and served them cold. The taste was delightful. One day, Liu Bang visited commoners incognito and was warmly received by hospitable farmers who served him the cold steamed pancake strips. As he ate, Liu Bang praised the dish and asked its name. The farmers did not know, but upon hearing the cooking method, Liu Bang laughed and casually said, “This is steamed pancake.” Later, people switched to using stacked bamboo steamers, allowing several pieces to be steamed at once, producing larger and thinner sheets. Sliced into strips, the texture became springy yet tender, unbroken and resembling strips of leather — hence the new name “mianpi” (literally “flour skin”).

　　Speaking of mianpi, there is also a popular story in Hanzhong about the “Mianpi Prefect.” During the Qing Dynasty’s Kangxi era, a man from Hanzhong named Zhang served as a county magistrate in Ruyang, Henan. One year, when a royal inspector was sent to Ruyang for an inspection, Magistrate Zhang did not prepare a formal banquet but instead simply served the hometown specialty — mianpi. The inspector, who had been eating rich food on his journey and had grown tired of greasy meals, was delighted by the mianpi. Upon asking how it was made, Magistrate Zhang explained the process in detail. Not long after the inspector returned to the capital, Magistrate Zhang was promoted to prefect of Luoyang. People generally speculated that it was probably this single meal of mianpi that won the inspector’s favor, leading him to praise it to the emperor and resulting in the promotion. When the story reached Hanzhong, locals jokingly referred to it as the “Mianpi Prefect.” Unfortunately, to this day, people in Beijing still haven’t mastered the art of steaming mianpi. Perhaps the inspector completely forgot the recipe, and even if he wanted to eat it, he couldn’t make it himself.

　　However, the craft of making mianpi in Hanzhong has become increasingly refined. Today, the original method of diluting flour has been replaced with grinding rice into a slurry. The seasonings and flavors have also become more sophisticated. As a result, not only homes and small towns are filled with the aroma of mianpi, but in recent years, some have even opened snack shops in cities such as Xi’an, Xining, Luoyang, and Beijing, specializing in “Hanzhong Mianpi.”

　　Hanzhong’s mianpi has a long history. The key flavor of Hanzhong liangpi (cold skin) lies mainly in the seasoning — especially in the chili oil. The chili oil is the most crucial component in the seasoning of liangpi (or starch skin), and whether it tastes good or not largely depends on the chili-based seasonings. Hanzhong’s mianpi has a long history. The key flavor of Hanzhong liangpi lies mainly in the seasoning — especially in the chili oil. The chili oil is the most crucial component in the seasoning of liangpi (or starch skin), and whether it tastes good or not largely depends on the chili-based seasonings.