English for rice cakes: rise cake; new year cake

[New Year's cake] A cake steamed with sticky rice or rice flour is a seasonal food in the Lunar New Year.

During the Spring Festival, many areas in China pay attention to eating rice cakes. There are two colors of rice cakes, yellow and white, which symbolize gold and silver. Rice cakes, also known as "Niannian cakes", are homophonic with "high every year", implying that people's work and life are improving year by year. Therefore, there was a poem by predecessors that called the rice cake: "The meaning of the rice cake is a little deep, and the white is like silver yellow gold. I hope that when I am old, I will be profitable, and I sincerely hope that my wealth will come. "

[Edit this paragraph] History of rice cakes

As a kind of food, rice cakes have a long history in China. 1974, archaeologists found full-grain and well-preserved rice seeds in Hemudu site in Yuyao, Zhejiang Province (Hemudu matriarchal social site in Yuyao) more than 7,000 years ago, which shows that our ancestors began to grow rice as early as 7,000 years ago. People in the Han Dynasty called rice cakes "rice cakes", "bait" and "glutinous rice cakes". In the book Dialect written by Yang Xiong in Han Dynasty, the title of "Gao" was already popular in Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties. The ancients also had a development process from rice cake to rice cake. In the 6th century AD, the cookbook Shiji contained the method of making rice cakes "white cocoon candy", which said, "If rice is cooked and cooked, and it is hotter than Chu Jiu's, it must be cooked extremely well, so as not to have rice grains ..." That is, after the glutinous rice is steamed, it is boiled into rice, and then cut into peach pit sizes. As early as the Liao Dynasty, it was said that on the first day of the first month in Beijing, every family had the custom of eating rice cakes. By the time of the Ming and Qing Dynasties, rice cakes had developed into a perennial snack on the market, with different flavors from the north and the south. The rice cake is delicious, sweet and mellow, with a strong historical flavor.

[Edit this paragraph] Legend of Rice Cake

It is said that rice cakes are spread from Suzhou. There is a legend about its origin: It is said that during the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, Wu Zixu helped He Lv to seize the throne of the State of Wu, and helped him to become strong and prosperous throughout the year. But later, He Lv was full of ambition and ordered Wu Zixu to build "He Lv City" to show his merits.

After the completion of the city wall, the prince of Wu held a feast to celebrate. During the dinner, the ministers indulged in wine and music, thinking that with a solid city, they could sit back and relax. Seeing this, Wu Zixu, China's prime minister, was deeply worried. He called in his personal entourage and said, "The civil and military officials of the Manchu Dynasty now think that high walls can protect the peace of the State of Wu. Although the city wall can resist the enemy soldiers, the people inside will be equally restrained if they want to go out. If the enemy encircles and doesn't fight, wouldn't Wu be trapped in a cocoon? If you get carried away, you will be in trouble. If anything happens to me, Wu is trapped and food and grass are scarce, you can go to Xiangmen City to dig three feet to get food. " The entourage thought that Wu Zixu had drunk too much, but he didn't take it seriously.

Before long, He Lv, the king of Wu, died, and Fu Cha succeeded to the throne, listening to slanders. Wu Zixu urged the king of Wu to refuse the peace of Gou Jian, the king of Yue, and was rejected and given death. After Wu Zixu committed suicide, Gou Jian, the King of Yue, attacked Wu in dispatch troops, surrounded Gusu City, the capital of Wu, and Wu Jun was trapped in the city, and the women and children in the streets were crying. At this time, the attendant remembered Wu Zixu's previous instructions, and quickly called the neighbors to dig outside Xiangmen to get food. When he dug three feet deep under the city wall, he found that the city brick was made of glutinous rice flour. Suddenly people were so excited that they knelt down toward the wall and thanked Wu Zixu. These glutinous rice noodles saved the people in the city. So under the auspices of Wu Zixu's family, it was distributed to the hungry people in the city, and everyone spent the famine temporarily. Suzhou people admire Wu Zixu's spirit of patriotism and caring for the people. Since then, every winter, they have prepared rice cakes to show their nostalgia for Wu Zixu, and to share them with relatives and friends during the Spring Festival. Therefore, the shape of Suzhou rice cake is similar to that of city bricks, and it is not greasy after cooking, does not crack after drying, and is not bad after long storage.

[Edit this paragraph] Making of rice cakes

The method of grinding glutinous rice into cakes is also very early. This can be proved by Qi Min Yao Shu written by Jia Sixie in the Northern Wei Dynasty. The production method is that glutinous rice flour is sieved with silk, and then added with water and honey to form a hard dough, and dates and chestnuts are attached to the dough, and then wrapped with bamboo leaves and steamed. This kind of glutinous rice cake has the characteristics of the Central Plains.

Rice cakes are mostly made of glutinous rice flour, and glutinous rice is a specialty of the south of the Yangtze River. In the north, sticky grains like glutinous rice are the first to promote sticky millet (commonly known as millet) in ancient times. This kind of millet hulled powder, after steamed with water, is yellow, sticky and sweet, and it is a delicious food for people in the Yellow River valley to celebrate the harvest. The article "A Brief Introduction to the Scenery of the Imperial Capital" published during the Chongzhen period of the Ming Dynasty recorded that Beijingers at that time would "eat millet cakes on the New Year's Day of the first month and celebrate the New Year's cakes". It is not difficult to see that "New Year's cake" is a homonym of "sticky cake" in the north.

The experienced rice cake master said that the most important thing to make a good rice cake is to pay attention to the use of water and oil. In addition, whether glutinous rice flour is pure or not is also very important. Most glutinous rice flour bought in the general market is mixed with other rice flour, so it is not soft enough to eat. Therefore, rice cakes should be made directly from glutinous rice, in order to ensure the purity and original taste of rice cakes. Making rice cakes is very simple. Rice cakes can be made into many flavors, but all of them are based on the most basic original rice cakes with other materials that people like.

The rice cake is not only a kind of holiday food, but also brings new hope to people every year, which means that everything goes well every year. As a poem in the late Qing Dynasty said, "People's hearts are high, and food is made in harmony, so that the year is better than the year, so as to pray for the year."

[Edit this paragraph] Rice cakes in various places

China has a vast territory, different customs and habits, and various kinds of rice cakes. The representative ones are white cakes in the north, yellow rice cakes from farmers in Saibei, Shuimo rice cakes from water towns in the south of the Yangtze River, and glutinous rice cakes in the southwest. Taiwan Province's red turtle cakes, etc. Rice cakes have different flavors from north to south. There are two kinds of steamed and fried rice cakes in the north, both of which are sweet; In addition to steaming and frying, southern rice cakes are also fried in slices and boiled in soup, which are both sweet and salty.

Beijing's rice cakes are the representatives of northern rice cakes, which are yellow and white, symbolizing gold and silver, and have the meaning of "high year after year". Therefore, there was a poem by predecessors that called the rice cake: "The meaning of the rice cake is a little deep, and the white is like silver yellow gold. I hope that when I am old, I will be profitable, and I sincerely hope that my wealth will come. " In fact, tracing the history of rice cakes was recorded as early as the Zhou Dynasty in China. "National Zagreb? The "powder meal" of "eating at the edge of shame, making a meal with powder" is the cake food steamed with rice noodles. The rice cakes in Beijing snacks are steamed with yellow rice or glutinous rice noodles and various accessories. There are many kinds of rice cakes, such as jujube rice cakes, bean rice cakes and rice cakes. Fine rice cakes are ginkgo, assorted, crystal, ruyi, etc. The cooking methods are mostly steaming, and they are also fried and dipped in sugar, all of which are sweet and sticky.

Beijing's rice cakes are generally supplied by Muslim snack bars, except for the Spring Festival, which is also available at ordinary times, but the quantity and variety are less than those during the Spring Festival. The rice cake is a Muslim snack, and it is also a sacrifice used by Manchu people to jump. Manchu's name is Feishi Heiafeng. In the Qing Dynasty, Shen Zhao wrote a poem: "The cake is named Fei Shi Hei A Feng, and it tastes greasy like fat. Xiangjie must know that God is paid, and Jane is with Jin Ju and Furong. " The note said: "The offerings of Manchu jumping gods include flying stones and black peaks, and sticky rice cakes. The color is yellow as jade, the taste is greasy as fat, the oil powder is miserable, and it is quite fragrant with honey, so as to give partial feedback to the neighbors. Jin Ju and Furong are both cakes. " It can be seen that rice cakes were Manchu snacks at least in the Qing Dynasty.

The rice cakes in the south are different. Guangdong rice cakes are generally made of glutinous rice flour, sticky powder, raw oil, melon seeds and bamboo leaves. Its color is golden red, soft and sweet, and it tastes delicious. Hainan rice cake has smooth surface, yellow and soft color, and sweet taste. According to local customs, every household makes rice cakes as holiday gifts to celebrate the New Year in the twelfth lunar month. Its main raw materials are glutinous rice, sugar, sesame, red dates and water. Hainan rice cakes can be eaten in various ways, such as baking or soft eating, burning cake soup, and slicing and frying. New Year's custom in Jiangsu and Zhejiang must have rice cakes, and there are many kinds of them, such as sweet-scented osmanthus sugar rice cakes, lard rice cakes, water mill rice cakes and eight-treasure rice cakes. Jiangsu's rice cakes are typical of Suzhou's, which are made of glutinous rice, mainly sweet-scented osmanthus sugar rice cakes and lard rice cakes; Zhejiang's rice cakes are common in Ningbo, mainly made of late japonica rice, and are milled rice cakes. Taiwan Province compatriots also eat rice cakes every year. When making rice cakes, they first mix and wash glutinous rice and Penglai rice, soak them for three hours, grind them into rice pulp, press them dry, add sugar and banana oil, and knead them evenly. Place a layer of cellophane on the bottom of the steamer, put the kneaded rice flour on it, and put a bamboo tube at each corner for ventilation. Steam for about two or three hours, insert chopsticks into the rice flour to see if there is raw flour, and add water to the pot at any time until it is cooked, then cut the rice cake into pieces and keep it for eating slowly.

[Edit this paragraph] The practice of rice cakes

I. Babao Rice Cake

Raw materials: glutinous rice1000g, sugar 20g, hemp seed 20g, green plum 20g, raisin 20g, preserved peach 20g, white gourd 20g and lotus 20g.

Practice:

1, first wash1000g of glutinous rice, soak it in water for 24 hours, steam it in a drawer, take it out, mash it with a wooden stick, and spread it to cool for later use.

2. Stir 20 grams of sugar, hemp seed, green plum, raisin, preserved peach, wax gourd strip and white lotus to make stuffing.

3. Brush a layer of lard in the square plate, spread the mashed glutinous rice with a thickness of 1 cm, put a proper amount of stuffing in each layer, and spread three layers.

4. After steaming in the pot, cut it into small pieces with a knife and serve.

Second, the sandwich rice cake

Raw materials: glutinous rice1000g, adzuki bean 50g, moss 50g, red silk 50g, and proper amount of sugar.

Practice:

1, wash1000g of glutinous rice, soak for 24 hours, steam it in a drawer, take it out and mash it with a wooden stick, then spread it out and cut it into two pieces.

2. Boil 50 grams of adzuki beans, add 50 grams of sugar and 50 grams of green and red silk to make stuffing.

3. Sprinkle the stuffing on the surface of one piece, then put the other piece on the stuffing for compaction and compaction, and then cut it into pieces with a knife.

Third, fried white cake

Raw materials: glutinous rice1000g, 500ml oil.

Practice:

1, wash and soak1000g of glutinous rice, drain the water, steam it in a drawer until it is cooked, take it out and mash it with a wooden stick, and crush it into pieces.

2. First cut the rice cake into small pieces of about 50 grams with a knife, then put 500 ml of oil in the pot to boil, then add the rice cake, and take it out when it floats.

Fourth, fried rice cakes

Raw materials: glutinous rice1000g, japonica rice 250g, lard 50g, sugar 50g, osmanthus sauce 50g, and a little peanut oil.

Practice:

1, wash1000g glutinous rice and 250g japonica rice, soak them, then add water and grind them into slurry, and put them into a cloth bag to dry the water.

2. Put the slurry into the basin, add 50g of lard, 50g of sugar and 50g of osmanthus sauce and mix well.

3. Brush peanut oil on the square plate, put the stirred dough into the plate and spread it flat. Steam the upper drawer on high heat for about 30 minutes to cook.

4. After cooling, cut into cubes, then put them in a peanut oil pot and fry them thoroughly over medium heat.

Five, soup rice cake

Ingredients: rice cake, red beans, tremella.

Practice:

1. Wash the tremella hair; After washing red beans, soak them in hot water for half an hour.

2. Add a bowl of water and stew for half an hour.

3. After half an hour, add tremella to start cooking and stew for another half an hour.

4. After the rice cake is steamed, slice it or round it and add it to the soup.

Six, bean paste rice cake soup

1, boil the water in the pot, cut the Ningbo Shuimo rice cake into pieces and cook it in water, then heat it with low fire and wait for the second process. If you are willing to eat a little more, you can cut the rice cake thicker.

2. Dilute the bean paste with water like flour in a bowl, slowly pour it into the pot where the rice cake is cooked, mix well with a spoon, and add some sugar according to everyone's taste, and it will be ok.

Seven, green vegetables and shredded pork fried rice cake

Raw materials: shredded pork, green vegetables (usually rape) and rice cakes.

Practice:

1, grab the shredded pork with tender meat powder, put the cooking wine and oil in and mix well; Cut the vegetables into suitable lengths.

2. Put oil in the pan, stir-fry shredded pork and vegetables, add some salt, stir-fry and remove for later use.

3. Add oil again, add the rice cake, stir fry quickly, and add some water continuously to prevent the rice cake from sticking to the pot. Stir fry until the rice cake becomes soft, add the fried shredded pork and vegetables, add some salt and chicken essence, and add some more water until the soup is basically dry.

Eight, crispy fried rice cakes and purple vegetable rolls

Ingredients: appropriate amount of rice cake, several pieces of laver, and appropriate amount of fried pulp.

Practice: First cut the rice cake into squares with random sizes, then wrap it with laver, dip it in deep-fried pulp, fry it at about 170 degrees until it is crispy, and serve it.

Tip: control the oil temperature, not too high or too low.

Nine, rice cake syrup

Ingredients: bicolor rice cake 150g, ginger slices 40g, water 450g and rock sugar 75g.

Practice: first cut the two-color rice cake into squares, with arbitrary size; Boil water and ginger slices; Add the rice cake and cook for about five minutes.

Tip: The sweetness can be reduced according to your preference. Cooking rice cakes should not take too long.

Ten, crisp fried Gillette water chestnut cake.

Ingredients: water chestnut cake, bread crumbs, eggs 1 egg, raw flour.

Practice: First, cut water chestnut cake into pieces, cover it with raw flour, add egg paste, then paste bread crumbs, boil oil for about 170 degrees, and fry until golden brown. Then serve.

Tip: You can eat with tomato juice, so that it does not feel greasy.

Eleven, Guangdong and Hong Kong flavor rice cakes

Ingredients: all kinds of rice cakes and edible oil.

Practice:

1, frying-cut all kinds of rice cakes into pieces, with any size. Add a little oil and fry the rice cake until golden.

2. Steaming-Cut all kinds of rice cakes into pieces and steam them thoroughly.

Tip: The above practices keep the original flavor of rice cakes, and the taste is delicate and smooth.

Twelve, crab small rice cakes

Ingredients: crab, rice cake, onion, ginger, low sodium salt, sugar, soy sauce, monosodium glutamate, cooking wine, water starch.

Practice:

1, cut the crabs in half, fry them in the oil pan and take them out;

2. Stir-fry the rice cake in the remaining oil;

3. Put the fried crabs into the pot and stir-fry them together;

4. Add cooking wine, ginger, soy sauce, etc. for seasoning and then simmer for a while;

5. Then, add sugar and a little monosodium glutamate;

6. Finally, thicken and you can cook.

Thirteen, sausage rice cakes

Ingredients: sausage \ rice cake slice \ green pepper \ carrot

Ingredients: onion

Practice:

1. Slices of various raw materials

2. Put a little oil in the pan, add onion and fry until fragrant.

Step 3 add sausage

4. Add rice cakes, you can add a little water and fry the rice cakes until soft.

5. Add green pepper \ carrot, stir-fry until cooked.

A word of caution.

The rice cake is not only sweet and delicious, but also nutritious, and it also has the function of fitness and disease elimination. According to tests, the calories of rice cakes are higher, which is several times that of rice. However, rice cakes contain less water, are not easy to digest, and are easy to produce phlegm after eating. Therefore, people suffering from indigestion, stomach and intestinal diseases and asthma should not eat more. Eating less is not greasy, which not only supplements nutrition, but also is good for health.

Nutritional analysis

The rice cake contains protein, fat, carbohydrate, nicotinic acid, calcium, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium and other nutritional and healthy elements.

Preservation of rice cakes

Soaking rice cakes in clear water is a good way to preserve them, but it should be noted that rice cakes soaked in clear water need to be cleaned every day and the water should be changed every day, so as to preserve them for a longer time; If your rice cake has been soaked in water, it has not been cleaned or changed, and it has become sour, you can't eat it any more.