Gaocuan Steamed Buns of Lantian

Gaocuan Steamed Buns of Lantian

　　Gaocuan Steamed Buns of Lantian: A wheat-flour product, said to have been created by Emperor Gaozu of Han, Liu Bang, and widely popular on the Bailuyuan Plateau in Lantian. The buns are fragrant, chewy, and enjoyed by people of all ages.

　　Gaocuan Steamed Buns are one of the staple foods of the common folk in the Guanzhong region of Shaanxi during the Ming and Qing dynasties. They are a wheat-flour product, said to have been created by Emperor Gaozu of Han, Liu Bang, and widely popular on the Bailuyuan Plateau in Lantian. These steamed buns have layered textures, emit a pleasant aroma, taste slightly sweet, and are chewy—delighting people of all ages. Making these buns requires effort and cannot be done carelessly or with any shortcuts. The process involves several steps: preparing the starter (using small starter dough, bran, millet congee, finished koji, and water for fermentation), mixing ingredients (dry flour, starter dough, alkaline flour, and water), kneading the dough, pressing with a large rolling pin, pressing with a small rolling pin (until the dough is uniform and smooth), forming strips, dividing into pieces, shaping the buns, arranging them, letting them "sweat" (rest), steaming, and controlling the heat, among more than ten procedures. If the steamed buns are cooled and then baked in an oven until golden and crisp, they will make a crisp sound when dropped on the ground and immediately crumble like sand.