Sweet fermented rice soup with glutinous rice pearls (jiǔ niàng tāng yuán)
A gentle, translucent broth of fermented rice, with small glutinous rice pearls and osmanthus petals floating in it. Warm, slightly effervescent and fragrant, eaten with a spoon.
A gentle, translucent broth of fermented rice, with small glutinous rice pearls and osmanthus petals floating in it. Warm, slightly effervescent and fragrant, eaten with a spoon.
Pour finir, laissez-moi vous tendre ce bol tiède : du riz que l'on a laissé fermenter quelques jours sous un linge, jusqu'à ce qu'il exhale son parfum de vin doux. Voyez comme la levure travaille seule, sans qu'on la presse — j'ai toujours admiré ces transformations lentes et patientes. Ma mère y faisait nager de minuscules boules de riz gluant et une pincée de fleurs d'osmanthe. C'est peu de chose, et pourtant c'est tout l'hiver de mon enfance qui revient dans une gorgée.
- •Fermented glutinous rice (jiǔ niàng / láozāo) — a few spoonfuls (sweet, alcoholic base)
- •Glutinous rice flour — a little (small pearls)
- •Dried osmanthus flowers — a pinch (fragrance)
- •Rock sugar — to taste (sweetness)
- •Beaten egg (optional) — 1 (silky veil)
Sweet fermented rice soup with glutinous rice pearls (jiǔ niàng tāng yuán)
A gentle, translucent broth of fermented rice, with small glutinous rice pearls and osmanthus petals floating in it. Warm, slightly effervescent and fragrant, eaten with a spoon.
Why this dish? Jiǔ niàng — fermented glutinous rice, slightly alcoholic and sweet — is a comforting treat from Jiangnan, served at winter festivals and reunions. For a Jiangsu family like Wu's, it was the tender note that closed a festive meal.
Pour finir, laissez-moi vous tendre ce bol tiède : du riz que l'on a laissé fermenter quelques jours sous un linge, jusqu'à ce qu'il exhale son parfum de vin doux. Voyez comme la levure travaille seule, sans qu'on la presse — j'ai toujours admiré ces transformations lentes et patientes. Ma mère y faisait nager de minuscules boules de riz gluant et une pincée de fleurs d'osmanthe. C'est peu de chose, et pourtant c'est tout l'hiver de mon enfance qui revient dans une gorgée.
Ingredients (period version)
- Fermented glutinous rice (jiǔ niàng / láozāo) — a few spoonfuls (sweet, alcoholic base)
- Glutinous rice flour — a little (small pearls)
- Dried osmanthus flowers — a pinch (fragrance)
- Rock sugar — to taste (sweetness)
- Beaten egg (optional) — 1 (silky veil)
Ingredients
- Sweet fermented rice (jiu niang, in jar) — 150 g (aromatic base)
- Glutinous rice flour — 100 g (pearls (tang yuan))
- Warm water — ~80 ml (dough)
- Dried osmanthus flowers (or osmanthus jam) — 1 tsp (fragrance)
- Sugar — 1-2 tbsp (sweetness)
- Water — 600 ml (broth)
- Egg — 1 (optional) (silky veil)
Method
- Mix glutinous rice flour with warm water to form a soft dough; shape into tiny pearls the size of a pea.
- Bring the 600 ml of water to a boil, drop in the pearls; they are cooked when they float to the surface (2-3 min).
- Add the fermented rice (jiu niang) and sugar, let simmer for 2 minutes without boiling hard (to preserve the aroma).
- If desired, drizzle in the beaten egg while stirring to create silky threads.
- Remove from heat, sprinkle with osmanthus. Serve warm in bowls, with a spoon.
How it was made : Jiǔ niàng was made at home: cooked glutinous rice, cooled, inoculated with a starter (qū) and left to rest in a warm place for a few days. This household fermentation, common in Jiangnan, produced a naturally sweet, mildly alcoholic treat long before refined sugar was abundant.
The contemporary twist : Serve warm in a clear glass to show the pearls suspended — an edible 'supersaturated solution'.
Chien-Shiung Wu · Charactorium
