Steamed Bun Rice

Steamed Bun Rice

　　Steamed Bun Rice

　　Vegetable bun, also called "steamed bun rice," "eating fak," or "eating vegetable dumplings." The method: place leaves such as cabbage or pickled cabbage in the palm of your hand, then add cooked rice (traditionally millet rice), stir-fried vegetables, scallions, and soybean paste on top. Use both hands to fold the vegetable leaves over the filling, either wrapping them into a long roll shape to hold and eat, or forming them into a ball shape to hold with both hands while eating. The choice of vegetable leaves, rice, and fillings often varies according to the season.

　　There is a legend about the origin of eating vegetable buns. Back then, the old Khan Nurhaci led the Eight Banners army out of the old city to attack Fushun, laying siege to the city so tightly that it was completely cut off. The siege lasted several days. The local townspeople cooked meals for the soldiers every day. When the victory was won and Fushun City was captured, the old Khan did not order a rest but instead commanded the Eight Banners army to press on in pursuit of the Ming troops. By coincidence, just as the troops were about to set off, the townspeople had just finished cooking the meals. Military orders are absolute, and despite the ready-made food, the soldiers dared not eat and had to march on. However, one soldier’s wife, seeing the hungry troops about to leave, came up with a clever idea and said to the few soldiers staying at her home, “I’ve got an idea — you can take the food with you and eat it on the road.” Back then, there were no containers for carrying food. The soldiers looked at each other, as if to say, “This woman is talking nonsense — how can we carry the food?” Seeing their disbelief, the woman said nothing. She simply took some wilting cabbage leaves that had been drying outside, washed them, and laid them flat. Then she scooped a spoonful of the already cooked meat-and-vegetable rice, wrapped it in the cabbage leaf to form a large vegetable dumpling, and handed one to each of the soldiers. The soldiers looked at the clever woman with grateful, surprised eyes and hurriedly set off on their journey.

　　The old Khan, intent on pursuing the Ming troops, had not allowed his soldiers to eat, and he himself had not eaten either. After marching dozens of miles, they encountered a heavy rainstorm. By then, the old Khan and his troops were exhausted, and their stomachs were growling loudly. The old Khan ordered a rest to prepare a meal. But the ground was wet after the rain, and everything was damp — there was no way to cook. The old Khan was anxious, hungry, and out of options. The soldiers who had the vegetable dumplings, seeing the old Khan’s condition, all offered him the dumplings from their pouches. The old Khan held the vegetable dumplings in both hands and ate them heartily. As the saying goes: when starving, bran tastes as sweet as honey; when full, honey is not sweet. In his extreme hunger, the old Khan found the vegetable dumplings extraordinarily delicious. After he had eaten his fill, he asked where the dumplings had come from. The soldiers reported truthfully. Hearing this, the old Khan slapped his thigh and said, “That woman is really clever. From now on, we won’t go hungry when we trouble the people during campaigns.”

　　From then on, whenever there were military campaigns, the old Khan would have the townspeople make vegetable dumplings for the soldiers to carry. This practice gradually became a folk custom, evolving into a unique Manchu food that has been passed down to this day.