Stir-fried Rice (Inner Mongolia)

Stir-fried Rice (Inner Mongolia)

　　Stir-fried Rice (Inner Mongolia)

　　In Mongolian, it is called "Mongol Bada," also known as "Bao Le Sheng Bada." It is one of the staple foods in the daily life of the Mongolian people.

　　Stir-fried rice is made from broomcorn millet that is roasted and then hulled to remove the outer shell. The processing method involves soaking clean broomcorn millet in water, steaming it in a pot, then roasting it in a wok until done, cooling it, and removing the husk. The finished stir-fried rice is yellow but not burnt, firm but not hard, shiny and bright. When soaked in milk tea, it becomes flavorful, fragrant, and deliciously crisp. Because it is soaked in water, the water-soluble vitamins from the surface layer of the millet husk seep into the grains, increasing the vitamin content of the stir-fried rice. Moreover, rapid cooling and drying after steaming and roasting fix the gelatinized starch in its original state. As a traditional food, stir-fried rice is enjoyed by all members of Mongolian families, regardless of age or gender. To eat it, the rice is placed in a bowl, softened by soaking in milk tea, and then mixed with dairy products, or combined with white butter and sugar, or cooked with fresh milk into a porridge, or made into a meat porridge. It can also be eaten dry. Stir-fried rice has low moisture content, stores well, is portable, and does not easily spoil or go moldy, making it well-suited to the needs of pastoral life.