ancient pastry such as “Nine-layered Steamed Rice Cake”

“Double Glutinous Rice Cake” is available.

In early agricultural time, farmers had them to boost energy.

They are also popular snack foods.

“Rice Cakes” played an important part in agricultural society.

They are used for the celebration on the birthdays of gods,

and when a new store is open and there is a worshiping ceremony.

Especially, “rice cakes” are used in Chinese Lunar New Year.

Let’s go to discover the good taste of the ancient flavor.

Pastry is often used in Taiwan to worship gods

as long as you pray for gods

Pastry is very important to you.

Traditionally, from the beginning to the end of Chinese Lunar New Year. different types of pastry are used to worship gods

For example, “steamed Chinese New Year cake”

has the similar sound of “getting better each year ”

so it is often prepared by each household

for Chinese Lunar New Year as a symbol of fortune and prosperity.

On the 9th day of Chinese Lunar New Year,

The Birthday of Jade Emperor, “five Sugar Towers”

in July, on the Ghosts’ Festival, “sweet rice pudding”

on Mid-autumn Festival, small Chinese cakes

on winter solstice, vegetable buns

in the end of year ”sweet” such as gourd slice

vegerable inch date

sugar dated peanuts.

And small cakes need to be prepared.

After sending gods, it is about time to make rice cake.

Even when the baby is one month old

granny will use red rice dumplings and tortoise cake

to thank for the blessing of Jade Emperor

Although time changes

some traditions are not observed now.

Pastry still plays an important role in traditional religious ceremonies.

Our history of making rice cakes

started from my grandpa in the Fifth Year of Showa Era in 1920.

That’s the beginning.

My father

has five brothers.

They all learned how to make rice cakes.

They all started their businesses.

I am the third generation.

It’s more than 80-year of rice making.

It’s very complicate to make Nine-layered steam Rice Cake.

Different rice cakes use different types of rice.

First, you need to select the rice.

For making rice cake, Idica Rice is used.

Second, you need to soak the rice in water for about 1.5 hours.

Then grind your rice into rice milk.

Fourth, pour boiled water into the raw rice milk

that’s the key to good taste

This requires to be adjusted according to the temperature.

Tips are too keep the right temperature of water

during winter and summe

Stirred the cooked rice milk with brown and white sugar.

Pour rice milk, the semi-cooked one in thin layer inside the steamer.

Add rice milk in another layer every half hour

You need to steam rice cake about 4 hours

Wait for cooling down;

that’s about three to four hours.

Cut into small diamond shapes.

Packing

The complete rice cake making process takes

about seven to eight hours.

This piece of Nine-layered Steamed Rice Cake looks normal

but it’s quite time and labor consuming.

From the selection of rice, the temperature of rice milk,

the right thickness of each layer.

The whole process takes about seven to eight hours.

It takes you the whole day to make a piece of Nine-layered Steamed Rice Cake.

You can taste the flavor with a coin

the hidden ancient flavor.

The red bean rice cake tastes chewy.

It’s not too sweet. 也不會太甜

You just cannot stop eating.

The owner told us to start from white top.

You then can taste the different texture of nine layers.

From the original glutinous flavor to the chewy taste,

you are able to feel the sweetness of Nine-layered Steamed Rice Cake.

The tip is to feel

each layer with your heart.

Do visit Tainan and go to traditional market

for this authentic ancient flavor.