Kaihua Steamed Rice Cake

Kaihua Steamed Rice Cake

　　Kaihua Steamed Rice Cake is a specialty snack from Kaihua County, Quzhou City, Zhejiang Province. Countless locals craving their hometown flavors first think of this cake upon leaving. The cake can be filled with a variety of ingredients, such as shredded smoked tofu, dried bamboo shoots, and shrimp skin—ingredients familiar to many. One of the most famous versions used to be the “No. 1 Cake of Qianjiangyuan.”

　　Steamed Rice Cake has a long history in Kaihua and is widely popular. Almost every household knows how to steam it, making it an indispensable breakfast item at local snack shops and one of the favorite treats among the people. Especially on the 15th day of the seventh lunar month (known as the traditional Ghost Festival or “Zhongyuan”), families across Kaihua steam several trays of the cake as essential offerings to ancestors. This custom continues to this day.

　　The cake is made from coarse early-season rice. The rice is soaked overnight, ground into powder, then mixed with water to form a batter. The consistency must be just right—not too thin or too thick—and adjusted according to weather changes. Otherwise, the resulting cake may turn out either too soft or too hard, lacking the desired bounce. The tools used in making the cake are also unique: a small coal stove holds a modest iron pot fitted with a perforated aluminum plate, covered with a layer of cloth. Two or three spoonfuls of fermented rice batter are ladled onto it and spread evenly. Depending on personal taste, fillings such as shrimp, pork, or shredded smoked tofu are sprinkled on top. The batter is then steamed with constant heat. Steam rises gently through the round holes, and in about ten minutes, a cake about 1.5 centimeters thick emerges—soft, fragrant, snowy white, translucent, fluffy, and elastic. Cut into small pieces and lightly fried in oil, the aroma alone is enough to make mouths water.