Barley Malt Sugar (yí, 飴)
A golden, thick, sticky syrup obtained by converting grain starch into sugar using sprouted barley malt. The only concentrated sweetness in Han cuisine, yí served as a candy, a sweetener, and a remedy to soothe the throat and restore strength.
A golden, thick, sticky syrup obtained by converting grain starch into sugar using sprouted barley malt. The only concentrated sweetness in Han cuisine, yí served as a candy, a sweetener, and a remedy to soothe the throat and restore strength.
Heaven did not give the men of the North the sugar cane of the South; so we learned to draw sweetness from the grain itself. Sprout the barley until it pushes its little tips, crush it and mix it with cooked rice while still warm: a marvel occurs, the starch becomes sugar. Strain it, reduce it over a gentle fire until you get a barley honey. I always keep a pot — a spoonful soothes the tired throat of an old servant who has spoken too much at court.
- •Sprouted barley (malt) — one part (source of enzymes that sweeten the grain)
- •Cooked rice (or millet) — several parts (starch converted to sugar)
- •Water — as needed (extraction)
Barley Malt Sugar (yí, 飴)
A golden, thick, sticky syrup obtained by converting grain starch into sugar using sprouted barley malt. The only concentrated sweetness in Han cuisine, yí served as a candy, a sweetener, and a remedy to soothe the throat and restore strength.
Why this dish? An aging officer serving several emperors, Cai Lun knew yí, thick malt syrup that the Han considered a gentle tonic, soothing for the throat and comforting — the rare sweet treat of an era without refined cane sugar in the north.
Heaven did not give the men of the North the sugar cane of the South; so we learned to draw sweetness from the grain itself. Sprout the barley until it pushes its little tips, crush it and mix it with cooked rice while still warm: a marvel occurs, the starch becomes sugar. Strain it, reduce it over a gentle fire until you get a barley honey. I always keep a pot — a spoonful soothes the tired throat of an old servant who has spoken too much at court.
Ingredients (period version)
- Sprouted barley (malt) — one part (source of enzymes that sweeten the grain)
- Cooked rice (or millet) — several parts (starch converted to sugar)
- Water — as needed (extraction)
Ingredients
- Barley malt powder (or blended sprouted barley) — 80 g (saccharification enzymes)
- Cooked glutinous rice — 500 g (base starch)
- Warm water — 800 ml (extraction medium)
Method
- Mix the still-warm cooked rice (≈60°C) with the malt and warm water in a large container.
- Keep warm (around 55-60°C, e.g., in a water bath or a turned-off warm oven) for 4 to 6 hours: the mixture becomes liquid and sweet.
- Strain through a cloth, pressing well to extract all the sweet juice.
- Pour the juice into a pot and reduce over low heat, stirring frequently, until a thick golden syrup (honey consistency) forms.
- Let cool and store in a sealed jar. Enjoy by the spoonful or use to sweeten a drink.
How it was made : Yí (飴), maltose obtained by saccharifying cereals with sprouted barley or rice malt, was the main sweetener in ancient China long before the spread of refined cane sugar. Mentioned in pre-Han texts, it served as a candy, sweetener, and soothing remedy. Its production demonstrates a remarkable empirical mastery of amylase enzymes.
The contemporary twist : Stretch the cooled syrup repeatedly until it turns pale and pearly: you get an ancestral malt caramel to wind around a stick, like a period lollipop for younger visitors.
Cai Lun · Charactorium
