Hainan sour rice cake

Suangao, or sour rice cake, is a Hainan snack with both refreshing taste and an attractive appearance. It is one of the most popular snacks in the province, especially among people in Sanya.

The sour rice cake is usually served on a big round iron plate, with chopped green onions and fried minced garlic on the top. Vendors typically cut a piece of diamond-shaped cake with a spatula, put it in a small bowl, and ladle the special sweet and sour drink on the top. Diners can then take a gulp of the jelly rice cake with the special sour juice, feeling its sweet and sour taste.

Residents in Hainan prefer sour food because of the province’s perennial high temperatures. “On a hot summer afternoon, if you take a bite of the sour cake, you will feel refreshed and the flavor lingers for a long time,” said a Sanya resident surnamed Liang.

Due to its delicious soft texture, the rice cake is a great favorite among locals. The cooking technique for the special delicacy is as follows: first, mix the rice flour, water, and sugar in a subtle proportion; then stir well and place the mixture in a round plate. Next, steam it over high heat and then let it cool off. Lastly, scatter chopped green onions and fried minced garlic on the top. The freshly cooked rice cake exudes a pleasant scent of garlic and green onions, attracting more and more visitors to want to have a taste of it.