Rice Recipes: Crispy and Fluffy Snacks Enjoyed by the Whole Family
I haven't gone downstairs to hang out for 15 days. The flour I stored at home was completely consumed. In the past two days, I've been particularly interested in rice, trying to make some delicious little snack dishes with rice. In Wuhan, besides hot dry noodles and three-fried dough sticks, there's another delicacy that lingers in people's minds – 'Niwog' (). This delicacy is often paired with the well-known 'hot dry noodles'. Thinking about it, this breakfast would be incredibly filling, providing energy throughout the morning.
The name 'Niwog' comes from the special shape of the mold used to make it. This shape is particularly beloved.
Niwog, originating from the late Qing Dynasty (1875-1909), was created by a vendor named Chang Zhi Ren near the Ji'aoju area of Hanzhong Street in Hankou. Seeing that the business selling baked goods wasn't doing well, he devised a new type of snack. After repeated tinkering, he commissioned a blacksmith to create a spoon-shaped mold with a protruding center, pouring rice paste made from mixed rice and soybeans into it, sprinkling it with black sesame seeds, and frying it in hot oil. People found it quite distinctive, with a fluffy and soft texture inside and a crispy and fragrant exterior, with a very delicious taste. Chang Zhi Ren called it 'Niwog', which has been passed down for over a hundred years and has become a value-for-money specialty snack.
However, making this snack at home can only achieve a similar effect. The editor researched this delicious snack at home and even tried to make some. Surprisingly, it gained unexpected success. In recent days, this snack has been the family's breakfast. The name 'Niwog' is derived from the shape of the mold, but its main ingredients arerice and soybeans.Rice is soaked overnight and absorbs plenty of water, then ground into a rice paste, and then fried in hot oil, resulting in a fluffy and non-sticky texture. To make it more refined, you should choose 'early-maturing rice' from Wuhan, which has a short growth cycle, high water absorption, and small viscosity. Using this rice to make 'Niwog' results in a more fluffy and crispy texture that doesn't stick to the teeth.
Of course, the current conditions don't allow us to perfectly replicate the authentic 'Niwog'. But achieving a similar taste is enough to delight the whole family's taste buds.
Niwog Fruit Cake:Because we didn't have the special tools to make 'Niwog', it's simply called 'Niwog Fruit Cake'.
Ingredients:
30 grams of soybeans, 400 grams of rice, 1400 grams of water, 30 grams of ginger, 25 grams of scallions, 30 grams of salt, and appropriate amount of carrots.
Production Steps:
Step 1.
Wash 400 grams of rice until there is no impurity, add an appropriate amount of water to the rice and soak it overnight until the water becomes clear.
Step 2
Wash 30 grams of soybeans, pick out the rotten ones, and soak them in water overnight.
Step 3
After soaking the rice and soybeans, drain the water and put them into a food processor, then add 1400 grams of water and blend into rice paste.
Step 4
Add the rice paste, 30 grams of ginger, 25 grams of scallion, 30 grams of salt, and appropriate amount of carrots. Mix well before use.
Step 5
Pour a lot of oil into the pot, heat the oil to 70% hot, use a spoon to scoop a spoonful of rice paste into the pot, wait for the rice paste to solidify and turn into a small flame, fry slowly until the rice paste rises and becomes golden brown, then take it out and drain the oil.
This delicious and fluffy 'Niwog Fruit Cake' is ready! Mixed with scallion and ginger aroma, the rice cake is combined with the fragrant soybean paste, and because of the scallion aroma, ginger flavor, and oil frying method, the taste of 'Niwog Fruit Cake' lingers in the mouth. It's no wonder the family has been eating this for breakfast these days. It seems a bit complicated, but if you soak the rice and soybeans in advance the night before, you only need 15 minutes in the morning to make this delicious breakfast. It's not as hot as pairing it with 'hot dry noodles', so it's better to pair it with a delicious grain porridge and some preserved vegetables. Not only does it taste good, but it's also nutritious.
Little Tips:
When frying 'Niwog Fruit Cake', you must use high heat to quickly solidify the rice cake.
Every day we share food, committed to creating something different from home cooking. Food updates daily, if you like a certain food, you can leave a comment below, and let's find the answer together. Follow us so you won't get lost, eat well and live well, and see you next time.
