Chang'an Jiaotuan

Chang'an Jiaotuan

　　　Main ingredients: an appropriate amount of cornmeal, a small amount of fine wheat flour (i.e., high-quality wheat flour, you can also use only cornmeal; adding wheat flour will make it relatively chewier, the ideal ratio of the two flours is about 4:1, but you can also use only wheat flour), a small amount of millet (optional)

　　Preparation method: 1. Add an appropriate amount of water to a pot, bring it to a boil...

　　2. Stir the cornmeal evenly into the boiling water or millet porridge. While holding the cornmeal in your left hand and slowly sprinkling it into the pot, use a stick or spoon in your right hand to stir vigorously. Remember to stir in one direction and ensure it is very well mixed—there should be no raw lumps or any clumps at all. After the cornmeal is added, add the wheat flour using the same method. As the saying goes: “For good jiaotuan, stir a hundred times—the more you stir, the tastier it will be!”

　　3. During the stirring process, use medium heat. If using an induction cooker, pay extra attention to controlling the heat. If necessary, lift the pot slightly to prevent the bottom from burning.

　　4. The consistency of the semi-finished jiaotuan should be such that when you lift chopsticks about 15 cm above the pot, the jiaotuan flows down continuously without breaking, or when you insert a large iron spoon into the center of the jiaotuan and it stays upright. You may also adjust the thickness to your personal preference.

　　5. Once the consistency is even and there are no lumps, simmer over low heat while continuously stirring or rotating the pot. Be sure it does not stick to the bottom or smoke. Don’t try tasting it after just a few minutes—don’t be impatient. It’s better to cook it a bit longer than to eat it undercooked. Be kind to your stomach.

　　Serving methods: (1) The common way is: scoop the cooked jiaotuan into a bowl and top it with any hot stir-fried vegetable soup of your choice—it’s ready to eat.

　　(2) Serve as “fish fish” (a noodle-like version): after the jiaotuan is cooked, pour it hot into a special funnel-like basin (you can make one by cutting off the top of a large drink bottle and punching small 8mm holes in the middle-lower part). Have clean water ready in the pot or another basin. Put the cooked jiaotuan into the funnel and press it down hard with a spoon. The jiaotuan will be squeezed out through the holes, forming little tadpole- or fish-shaped pieces. Scoop these out into a bowl, pour on pre-made fermented wheat bran soup, and enjoy. You can also braise, stir-fry, chill with a spicy sauce, or serve it in other ways.

　　(3) The simplest way to serve: scoop it into a bowl, press a small hollow in the center, pour prepared spicy sauce into the hollow, then dip a piece from the edge into the sauce. That’s it—simple. Alternatively, serve the jiaotuan on a large plate with individual small bowls of sauce made from soy sauce, vinegar, and chili oil, and eat by dipping each bite.

　　Note: Method for making spicy sauce: 1. Main ingredients: spices (Shaanxi has this type of seasoning spice, or you can substitute with various all-purpose spice blends), 100g chili peppers, 20g sesame seeds, 300g premium rapeseed oil;

　　2. Heat the rapeseed oil until boiling, then let it cool for about 1 minute. Pour it into a container and add ingredients in sequence (start by putting a small amount of chili in the oil—if it doesn’t turn black after 30 seconds, the temperature is good—then add the rest of the chili), followed by the spices. Mix well (do not mess up the order of adding ingredients).

　　3. Add some chopped green onions or mashed garlic, plus an appropriate amount of soy sauce and chicken essence, to create the spicy sauce. You can also add any other seasonings you like.