Ginger Juice Pastry

Ginger Juice Pastry

　　Ginger Juice Pastry, as its name suggests, contains fresh ginger in its ingredients, giving it a distinct gingery flavor when eaten.

It is made by finely chopping peeled fresh ginger, mixing the flour with a certain proportion of alum powder, and combining them in a bowl with cold water to form a dough. Alternatively, the dough can be made with water and rolled out on a pasta machine five or six times until the sheets are uniformly thin and smooth. Then, fine starch powder is sprinkled on the thin sheets, which are folded and rolled into long strips. These strips are cut into pieces about 2 cm wide and 5 cm long. Two small slices are stacked together, three cuts are made along the middle to separate them into individual pieces that fan out. These are then deep-fried in warm oil. The fried pastries are coated with a ginger-infused syrup. To make the syrup, peeled fresh ginger is finely shredded, simmered in water, then the ginger pieces are removed. Sugar is added and the mixture is brought to a boil, followed by maltose and osmanthus. Once boiling again, the heat is reduced, and the fried pastries are dipped into the ginger syrup made from the osmanthus-infused maltose.

The syrup-coated pastries turn a light yellow color, and have a crisp, sweet, and fragrant taste, with a hint of ginger. The Ginger Juice Pastry from “Nanlaisun” in Nancheng was named one of “Beijing’s Famous Snacks” in 1997, and in the same year also received the title “China’s Famous Snack.”

There is also a savory version of the pastry, made with flour, baking soda, and salt. It is also deep-fried and prepared similarly to the ginger version, but without the syrup coating. It has a crispy, flaky texture and a slightly salty flavor, and is often enjoyed as a drinking snack by those who like to drink alcohol.

According to Mr. Zhang Cixi, author of “Snacks of Tianqiao,” “In the old Tianqiao area, there were shops that specialized in selling small fried snacks, such as twisted dough twists and miniature pastries no more than an inch in size. These were wrapped in straw paper with red trademarks, serving both as New Year gift packages and as toys for children.” Poets of the past also praised these small snacks: “Crafted entirely by skilled hands, these tiny dough treats delight children. Packaged exquisitely in brocade boxes and straw wraps, their delicate forms showcase true artistry.” In those days, vendors selling such snacks would also shout their wares: “Buy one pack, get one free—Jiangxi preserved meats, spicy chili peppers. Grandpas eat them and might take a tumble, a personal stumble, an official fall, the lame hobble with big waistbands. Big dough twists, crushed pastries, a colorful bouquet, a big pack of fried pastries.” Children hearing this would rush to buy them.