Sprouted Wheat Pancakes

Sprouted Wheat Pancakes

　　Sprouted Wheat Pancakes are a traditional snack from Huzhou. In Hanshan, Huzhou, there is also a distinctive homemade version made by local farmers. During the Qingming Festival, almost every household in the vicinity of Hanshan Village makes these pancakes. The main ingredients of Sprouted Wheat Pancakes include glutinous rice flour, sprouted wheat flour, and either cotton fluff grass (or white boba grass). People germinate and dry the wheat, then grind it into flour by Qingming to make what is called sprouted wheat flour. Cotton fluff grass (or white boba grass) can be found along fields and roadsides, and some households even plant it around their homes for easy harvesting.

　　To make Sprouted Wheat Pancakes, the first step is to blanch the cotton fluff grass, mash it, and then mix it into the glutinous rice flour. It's important to scald the glutinous rice flour with boiling water when mixing it—if you skip this step, the dough won’t hold together. The addition of cotton fluff grass enhances stickiness and color; the resulting dough has a light green hue and a subtle, refreshing fragrance. Once the rice flour mixture is ready, the crucial next step is to add the sprouted wheat flour. Getting the amount right is a bit of an art—too much, and the dough becomes too soft to shape; too little, and the pancakes lack their signature sweet and fragrant taste. When the dough reaches the right consistency, it is divided into small portions, filled with red bean paste, and flattened into round, thin pancakes. These are then placed in a large iron skillet with a bit of vegetable oil and cooked one by one against the pan. When the pancakes turn golden brown, a pre-soaked sugar syrup is slowly poured around them. A sprinkle of sesame seeds is added on top. The pancakes must be cooked over low heat until they develop a slight stringy texture when lifted—they’re then ready to serve.

　　These flat, round Sprouted Wheat Pancakes are sweet, soft, and chewy, with a pale green exterior brushed with a layer of golden vegetable oil. They are aromatic, flavorful, and make for a perfect seasonal treat during the Qingming Festival.