Jingning county preserves traditional glutinous rice cakes

The glutinous rice cake is wrapped with sesame sugar. [Photo/WeChat account: jnbctv0578]

Jingning county – in Lishui city in East China's Zhejiang province – is home to a large population of the She ethnic group in China and they just love their food.

One of their favorites is glutinous rice cake, a traditional snack that symbolizes joy and prosperity.

It's made with simple ingredients – glutinous rice, sesame seeds and sugar. The process of making it is time-consuming, laborious but fun and festive. The glutinous rice is soaked overnight, steamed over a clay stove and then pounded with wooden hammers in a stone mortar.

That last bit takes skill and strength, as well as coordination between two or more people.

The pulverized rice is then mixed with sesame sugar, which is made by roasting sesame seeds and grinding them with white sugar. The sesame sugar adds flavor and sweetness to the glutinous rice cake, as well as a crunchy texture. The mixture is then shaped into round or oval cakes, which can be eaten fresh or stored for later.

The rice cake is not only a delicious snack, but also a symbol of joy and celebration for the She people. They make and eat it during festivals, weddings, birthdays and on other occasions. It's also a way of expressing gratitude and hospitality to guests and relatives.

For many Jingning people, especially the elderly, glutinous rice cakes evoke fond memories of their hometown and their ancestors.