Guo Tat Tat

Guo Tat Tat

　　The mountainous areas of Lueyang, with a long history of farming, are predominantly characterized by sloping dry fields. Corn has long been the staple crop here, naturally becoming the year-round main food for the local people. Skillfully transforming coarse grains into refined dishes is a unique feature of the mountainous cuisine in the southern Qinling region, setting it apart in Lueyang’s food culture. Locally, corn is called bāogǔ, and is often ground into flour for consumption. Among bāogǔ flour dishes, none is more distinctive than Lueyang’s Guo Tat Tat. Guo Tat Tat is a type of home-style steamed bread made from coarse grains. As the name suggests, it is not steamed in a basket but rather pressed directly onto the sides of an iron pot filled with water and then cooked with high heat, combining steaming and baking into one delicious creation. Before steaming, the dough must be proofed with yeast at a certain temperature and humidity until it emits a distinct wine-like aroma, after which an appropriate amount of dried bāogǔ flour is added and kneaded in. The finished product is soft, smooth, and slightly sweet with a hint of sourness—offering a unique and delightful taste that leaves a pleasant aftertaste. Of course, you can also customize it by adding various fruits and vegetables according to your preference, such as the locally unique piáor or shuǐshāzi, creating different flavor profiles. It has been summarized by some with four wonders: “First, its sweet-sour richness delights everyone who eats it; second, it’s cooked without a steamer by sticking directly to the pot; third, it retains its flavor through both summer heat and winter cold; fourth, it allows for creative mixing with various add-ins.”