What is the origin of eating rice cakes? How to fry rice cakes

The name "nian gao" seems to be very cultural. Nian gao means to have escaped the "year" and finally be safe and sound, so this food is called "nian gao". What is the origin of nian gao? Encyclopedia Knowledge Network shares relevant content for you, hoping to help you.

Contents of this article

1. The origin of eating rice cakes

2. How to fry rice cake

3. How to soften hard rice cakes

The Origin of Eating Rice Cake

According to legend, during the Spring and Autumn Period, Wu Zixu predicted that the country would fall sooner or later, so he said to his followers: "After I die, if the country is in trouble and the people are hungry, you can go to Xiangmen City and dig three feet deep to get food." Sure enough, the country fell and starving people were everywhere. The people went to Xiangmen and found that the bricks of the city were made of glutinous rice powder and made into glutinous rice cakes. This is how rice cakes came about.

So the saying goes that in order to commemorate Wu Zixu, people eat rice cakes on the Spring Festival every year, and this tradition has been passed down over time.

Another theory is that in ancient times there was a monster called "Nian" that often hurt people and used people as food, making people suffer. Later, people made cakes out of glutinous rice and placed them outside the door, and then hid in their homes. When "Nian" came, it couldn't find anyone to eat, so it was hungry and ate the glutinous rice blocks made by people. After eating, it returned to the mountains.

Therefore, rice cake also symbolizes escaping the "year" and finally living in peace, so this food is called "rice cake".

How to fry rice cake

Prepare the side dishes for stir-fried rice cakes, such as shredded pork, cabbage, onion, ginger, garlic, etc. First, cut the rice cakes into strips or slices and soak them in water. Add the shredded pork to the seasonings and marinate. Heat the oil to sauté the minced garlic until fragrant, then add the shredded pork and stir-fry until 70% cooked. Add the cabbage and rice cakes to the hot oil and stir-fry until soft. Finally, add the seasonings and stir-fry evenly before serving.

Rice cakes are easy to stick to the pan. Rinse them with cold water before frying and stir-fry with cabbage to effectively prevent them from sticking to the pan. Stir-fry them constantly. You can choose the side dishes and sauces for stir-fried rice cakes according to your personal taste. For example, Korean spicy rice cakes can be added with Korean hot sauce.

How to soften hard rice cake?

If the rice cake is hard, you can soften it by frying it. Add a small amount of cooking oil to the bottom of the pot, and when the oil is hot, fry the rice cake until it turns golden brown, and it will regain its softness. You can also soften it by steaming or boiling it. You can also use a microwave to heat it to soften it.

You can add water to a large container and soak the rice cake in it. Remember that the water must be higher than the rice cake.

If you choose to store it in the refrigerator, you can slice the rice cake first, which will make it more convenient to eat later.

Use vacuum packaging to preserve rice cakes. This method can put them in the freezer of the refrigerator. Generally, the best shelf life is half a year.