Hui-style Maltose Candy

Hui-style Maltose Candy

　　　Maltose candy is a traditional and flavorful confection beloved by the Hui people in the Ningxia Plain region. After the autumn harvest, the Hui community dries their barley, prepares their equipment, and begins milling rice and making sugar. This tradition has been practiced for 200 years. The Ningxia Plain is the main barley-producing area in Ningxia, providing favorable conditions for the Hui people to make candies. In addition to making the sweets for their own consumption, they also sell them in the markets. By the time of the Republic of China, there were dozens of maltose workshops in Ningxia, among which the most famous were those run by Mao Yishan and Mao Yichuan, Hui residents of Huibei Township in Pingluo County — collectively known as the “Mao Family Candy Workshop.”

　　　　Preparation Method:

　　　　(1) First, mill the rice grains and dry them in the sun for several hours before placing them in a large pot along with clean barley to be boiled until all the water evaporates. Then add an appropriate amount of water and boil for 3–5 minutes before quickly pouring the mixture into a large vat. The hole at the bottom of the vat must be tightly sealed. Dig a large pit beneath the vat and place another empty, clean vat inside it, aligning the bottoms of both vats. Seal the openings tightly, and after about 30 minutes, when you hear a bubbling or “plop-plop” sound from within the vat, quickly uncover the hole at the bottom. A milky-white paste will then continuously flow from the upper vat into the lower one in the pit.

　　　　(2) Remove the paste and pour it into a simmering pot. Turn up the heat and continuously stir the mixture without stopping. Once the paste thickens, use a wooden spatula to stir it further to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Continue this process until the paste...

...turns into a milky-white syrup-like consistency.

　　　　(3) Roast 1 kilogram of soybean flour until cooked, then mix it with brown sugar or white sugar dissolved in hot water. Combine this mixture with the syrup to form a large dough-like mass. Cut it into small pieces, roll it out into thin sheets, and then use a knife to cut it into various shapes. Place these on a cooling mat in a cool room to set. Once the candy coating hardens slightly, it is ready to eat.

　　　　Characteristics: This rustic candy has a dry, hard texture with a sweet, crisp bite and a chewy mouthfeel, along with a distinct bean flavor. It is rich in protein, fat, vitamins, as well as calcium, phosphorus, and iron. Regular consumption can help relieve thirst and internal heat, nourish the body, aid digestion, relieve diarrhea, and soothe the chest.