Retort cake, pronounced zèng gāo.

Mirror cake, pronounced jìng gāo.

zèng, consonant z, rhyming eng, tone four.

jìng, pronounced with the consonant j, rhyming with ing, and a tone of four.

gāo, consonant g, rhyming ao, one tone.

The zèng gāo (甑糕 zèng gāo), commonly known as jìng gāo in Shaanxi, is a traditional snack in Xi'an, Guanzhong, and Jinnan regions, named for the deep, large iron cauldron in which the cake is steamed, which was called a "cauldron" in ancient times. The cake is made of glutinous rice, jujubes and kidney beans, stacked on top of each other, spread over three or four layers, and steamed over large or small fires.

Expanded Information

The cauldron cake has a long history. It is rumored to have been introduced from Shaanxi hundreds of years ago. A retort is an ancient cooking utensil with a small hole at the bottom that can be placed on a pot to steam food, and Lingbao is commonly known as Jinzi, so retort cake is also called Jin cake.

Because red dates and glutinous rice are rich in nutrients, nourishing and strengthening the body, the cauldron cake has been praised by consumers from all walks of life. General Feng Yuxiang called "Xi'an steamer cake" the "Swallow dish of the common people".

Xi'an, Guanzhong area meeting, breakfast more food retort cake. When villagers go to a meeting, they have to eat a plate of retort cake; when they return, they buy one or two plates, pack them in tiger skin leaves, and bring them back home for their families to enjoy.