Erduoyan Fried Rice Cake

Erduoyan Fried Rice Cake

　　　One of the three most famous snacks in Tianjin. It has a history of nearly a hundred years. The ingredients are carefully selected and the production process is meticulous. The shop got its name because it was located right next to Erduoyan Hutong (Ear Hole Alley). The making of Erduoyan Fried Rice Cake requires high-quality glutinous rice, yellow millet, red adzuki beans, brown sugar, and fragrant oil. The filling undergoes processes such as rinsing, boiling, simmering, stirring, frying sugar, and mixing the filling. The wrapper dough is soaked in water, stone-ground, fermented, alkali-adjusted and shaped, then deep-fried in hot oil until it turns into a golden, ball-shaped finished product. Its characteristics include a crispy outer layer with a tender inside, a flaky crust that’s crisp but not hard, a sweet and fresh filling that’s juicy yet not dry, a delicate sweetness, a refreshing taste, and a fragrant aroma.

　　  Fried rice cakes are a traditional specialty snack in Tianjin, with many vendors offering them. But there is one shop, the renowned Erduoyan Fried Rice Cake store, which has maintained its fame both in China and abroad for decades by consistently selecting premium ingredients, emphasizing craftsmanship, and always prioritizing quality. This dedication has allowed its fried rice cake varieties to flourish and become celebrated alongside Goubuli Buns and Guifaxiang Fried Dough Twists as one of the “Three Treasures of Tianjin Snacks.”

　　 　 Erduoyan Fried Rice Cake originated during the late Qing Dynasty in the Guangxu era (1900). The first-generation owner, Liu Wanchun (1874–1962), started by pushing a single-wheel cart through the streets selling the cakes. Later, he set up a stall on the northern section of North Gate Outer Street near the western entrance of Guyi Street, making and selling the cakes on the spot. After saving some capital, Liu Wanchun partnered with his nephew Zhang Kuiyuan to rent an eight-foot-square space in a dockworkers’ lodge (a place where porters worked and rested) on North Gate Outer Street. They hung up a sign with the name “Liu’s Shop” and began operating a fried rice cake business. Thanks to Liu Wanchun’s high-quality ingredients, fine craftsmanship, delicious taste, excellent texture, and affordable prices, his fried rice cakes stood out among the rest, becoming unique and increasingly popular. Business flourished, earning him the nickname “Fried Rice Cake Liu.” The shop was also conveniently located near Guyi Street and Zhenshi Street, areas bustling with dye shops, pawnshops, banks, fabric stores, and shoe and hat shops. Wealthy families and common households alike would order the cakes in advance for birthdays and joyous celebrations. Playing on the homophone of “cake” (糕, gāo) and “high” (高, gāo), they sought the auspicious meaning of “reaching higher step by step.” This further boosted business, and Liu’s Fried Rice Cake Shop gained a strong reputation. Because the shop was situated right next to a narrow alley—only about one meter wide—called Erduoyan Hutong (Ear Hole Alley), people humorously started referring to Liu’s shop as “Erduoyan.” Even though the name was briefly changed to Zengshengcheng during the Japanese puppet regime period, the name “Erduoyan Fried Rice Cake Shop” only grew more famous. And so, the fried rice cake itself became known as Erduoyan Fried Rice Cake.

　　 　 Traditional Erduoyan Fried Rice Cakes are made using yellow millet and glutinous rice from Yangcun and Hexiwu along the North Canal, and from Wen’an and Bazhou along the Ziya River. These grains are soaked until swollen, then ground into a porridge-like consistency using a stone mill, and placed in cloth bags. After being drained and fermented, the mixture is mixed with alkali to form the wrapper dough. Meanwhile, red adzuki beans produced in Tianjin are used to make the bean paste, which is cooked with high-quality brown sugar in a wok until it becomes a sweet bean paste filling. Once cooled, this filling is wrapped inside the dough. The cakes are then fried in warm oil (130°C), with frequent turning to ensure even cooking. The resulting fried rice cakes have a golden, crispy surface with a burst of texture. The outer crust is crunchy but not tough, while the inside remains soft, sticky, and glutinous. The bean filling is sweet, delicate, and refreshing, offering a uniquely delicious flavor. In 1987, it was awarded a Special Honor at the Tianjin Masses Star Cup Tianjin Cuisine Competition. In 1989, it was approved by the Ministry of Commerce as a high-quality food product and received the Golden Tripod Award. For many consecutive years, it has also won the Tianjin Catering Industry High-Quality Food Gold Award. In 1997, it was named a Chinese Famous Snack by the China Cuisine Association.