Savor Quzhou flavor of steamed buns made with fermented rice wine

Wang Genying is busy kneading dough. [Photo/qz96811.com]

At one o'clock on June 3, Wushidu villagers Wang Genying and her husband Wu Yiquan arrived at their steamed bun workshop just like any ordinary workday.

After 40 years of making buns with flour, fermented-rice wine, and a food steamer, the elderly couple has gotten used to their busy lifestyle.

At their workshop, a few vats of fermented glutinous rice and rice paste-fermented water are stored year-round.

"Our buns are never fermented with yeast, but with these two items," said Wang Genying.

They put the mixture of fermented glutinous rice and rice paste-fermented water aside for four to five hours, then pour the mixture into flour and knead them into smooth dough.

After covering the dough with a piece of wet cloth for another four to five hours, they knead the dough into smaller pieces and then steam them for about 50 minutes.

Wang said that when the bun is fermented with fermented-rice wine, it tastes softer and chewier than an ordinary bun.