There is still a week before the Lantern Festival, and a long queue has already formed at the entrance of the snack bar on the street in Beijing. Many people don’t understand, there are so many ready-made dumplings in the supermarket, why do they have to wait for an hour in the cold wind to buy two kilograms of Yuanxiao? There may be thousands of reasons, Xiao Xian thinks, in the final analysis, there are two words: stress!
On the Lantern Festival, Beijingers pay attention to eating Yuanxiao, and they have to shake it now. Where can I see the skill of "playing Yuanxiao"? Which Lantern Festival is the most sought after? What’s new this year? If you don’t know the answer, Xiaoxian specially sends you a purchase guide!
01
Daoxiang villagePay attention to materials
Many people’s memories of "shaking Yuanxiao" began in Daoxiang Village. In the 1980s, during the Spring Festival, a stall was set up at the entrance of Daoxiang Village in Beijing to shake Yuanxiao, and people queued up to buy it, which was often in short supply. In the 1990s, there were more and more stores in Daoxiang Village, Beijing, and the shortage of staff became more and more serious. In addition, the supervision of existing food became stricter, and now Yuanxiao was changed to unified production by factories, which gradually faded out of people’s sight.
After a lapse of more than 20 years, Daoxiang Village now shakes the Lantern Festival and finally returns on February 12 this year.
As the saying goes, "the stuffing in Daoxiang Village is the skin of Dashunzhai".
Making Yuanxiao with stone grinding powder is a traditional craft that has lasted for hundreds of years. Although it is time-consuming and labor-consuming, compared with the use of a pulverizer, glutinous rice becomes white powder under the rolling of a stone mill, which not only retains the nutritional components and natural fragrance of glutinous rice to the maximum extent, but also makes the Yuanxiao soft and chewy.
The stuffing of the Lantern Festival in Daoxiang Village is also unambiguous. Four classic fillings are made from walnut kernels in Fenyang, Shanxi, roses in Miaofeng Mountain, small black sesame seeds in Jiangxi and osmanthus flowers in Suzhou and Hangzhou: refined black sesame seeds, osmanthus hawthorn, traditional five kernels and creamy cocoa.
Xiaoxian learned that two new flavors of Yuanxiao, walnut rose and orange mango, were added this year. In order to enrich consumers’ choices, nine kinds of glutinous rice balls will be provided, including traditional five kernels, sweet-scented osmanthus hawthorn and other classic flavors, sugar alcohol glutinous rice balls with black hemp and red bean paste flavors, and "online celebrity" glutinous rice balls that have returned to the public.
Tips
Taste: refined black sesame, osmanthus hawthorn, traditional five kernels, butter cocoa, walnut rose, orange mango and so on.
Address: branches of Daoxiang Village (the live Lantern Festival is currently available at Boxma Xiansheng Shilibao Store, Chongwenmen Store, wu mart Yutingqiao Store and Tiantongyuan Store).
02
Jinfang snacksThe most popular
Jinfang Snacks, founded in 1926, is a halal snack bar in the prestigious capital. The candied fire, snowballing, fried cakes with cream, and one-grade baked cakes in the store are all met by Beijingers. But in many people’s minds, Jinfang’s top product is Yuanxiao. Every year during the Spring Festival, there are several hundred meters long queues at the door for several days. It must be Jinfang snacks.
As a famous product in Beijing Yuanxiao, Jinfang Yuanxiao insists on not using the finished stuffing, making the stuffing according to the secret recipe ratio and using the traditional stone milling technology, which ensures the taste of Yuanxiao dough, which is easy to cook and cook, soft and sticky, sweet and not greasy.
Jinfang Yuanxiao keeps the tradition, while constantly innovating in the variety of materials. In addition to the traditional flavors such as black sesame, hawthorn, sweet-scented osmanthus, rose, salt and pepper, varieties such as malt extract, rose, coconut and raisin have also been developed.
There are so many flavors, if you don’t know which one to buy, you can’t go wrong in choosing assorted Yuanxiao. The cooked Yuanxiao is filled in a bowl, and every bite is a surprise.
The exotic cocoa-flavored Yuanxiao is also a popular taste. Xiaoxian reminds you that if you want to buy this Lantern Festival, you must queue up to buy it early, and if you go late, you will draw water with a sieve!
Tips
Taste: assorted, black sesame, hawthorn, blueberry, osmanthus, yellow glutinous rice, purple glutinous rice, cocoa and so on.
Address: Floor 1, Dazhong Electric Appliance, South Floor 1, Metropolitan Street, Ciqikou, Dongcheng District (southwest corner of Ciqikou).
03
KutokuhayashiJingsu Yuanxiao
Kutokuhayashi, known as the originator of vegetarianism, was founded in 1922. It was first opened on Nanjing East Road in Shanghai, and Cai Yuanpei, Liu Yazi and Lu Xun were all frequent visitors. Kutokuhayashi’s vegetarian cooking skills rely on Buddhist culture, and the dishes are known for their "time-consuming and labor-consuming" and "ingenious conception". Its Lantern Festival is naturally vegetarian, and the production process also pays attention to complete "purity".
There are traditional assorted fillings, sweet-scented osmanthus with five kernels, black sesame seeds and hawthorn, and there are also cocoa flavors. They all follow the secret formula of the ancient temple and make Yuanxiao with low sugar, low fat and low oil.
Kutokuhayashi has also introduced a variety of nutritious Yuanxiao, such as "Golden Soup Yuanxiao", which can be said to have made great efforts in innovation and health preservation.
Tips
Taste: assorted, sweet-scented osmanthus with five kernels, black sesame, hawthorn, cocoa, etc.
Address: No.2, Qianmen East Street, Dongcheng District, Beijing (near Qi Nian Street).
04
DashunzhaiTongzhou yibao
As the saying goes: "There are three treasures in Tongzhou, JD.COM: burning catfish, bean curd with soy sauce and burning with sugar."
This sugar fire comes from Dashunzhai, an old brand with a history of more than 300 years, specializing in halal cakes. In the past, the Muslim imam went to the holy land to worship along the Silk Road, and often used sugar fire to satisfy his hunger. In the scorching sun along the way, most imams’ dry food will deteriorate, but the sugar fire in Dashunzhai keeps fresh and delicious, which makes other imams envy.
Not only is the sugar burning, but the Lantern Festival in Dashunzhai is also in the same strain. Compared with Jinfang and Daoxiang Village, the Lantern Festival in Dashunzhai is better than the noodles, the glutinous rice is more chewy, and the unique rough feeling at the entrance is naturally unique.
However, in recent years, there are few improvements in the Lantern Festival in Dashunzhai, and there are not many varieties to choose from. With the feelings of the old brand, you might as well go to the store to have a look.
Xiaoxian’s only reminder is that you must remember to bring cash to buy it!
Tips
Taste: assorted, black sesame, Wuren, hawthorn, etc.
Address: No.238 Xinhua Street, Tongzhou District.
05
Niujie BaijiFull stuffing
Niujie, Beijing, is a paradise for eating goods, with all kinds of delicious snacks. The time-honored Bai Ji’s rice cake is famous both at home and abroad. If we are children growing up in four or nine cities, everyone is familiar with the taste. In addition to rice cakes, Yuanxiao produced by Baiji is also very popular. The present shopkeeper has insisted on making handmade Yuanxiao for more than 20 years, and the quality is consistent, which is favored by Beijing people.
Bai Ji’s Yuanxiao stuffing is exquisite, with sesame oil in the black sesame stuffing and hawthorn cake in the hawthorn stuffing. There is also a unique preserved fruit stuffing. After cooking, the skin is crystal clear and white, the stuffing is full, take a bite, and your mouth is full of concentrated orange juice!
It should be noted that the sweetness of Baiji Yuanxiao is relatively high, and the elderly and children can’t eat more.
Tips
Taste: traditional black sesame, hawthorn, Wuren, etc.
Address: No.13, Business, Building 2, Dongli District 2, niujie, Hutong.
06
Huguosi snacksFruit kong zui ai
Snacks in old Beijing can be found in Huguosi snack bar, and Yuanxiao is no exception.
Yuanxiao, a snack in Huguo Temple, is famous for its various fruit flavors. In addition to more than 10 kinds of traditional fillings such as five kernels, chocolate, red bean paste, strawberry and rose, there are also flavors such as orange, pineapple, strawberry, lemon and durian, which are deeply loved by fruit controllers.
If you are a durian control, Xiaoxian reminds you that you must be mentally prepared to queue up.
Tips
Taste: five kernels, chocolate, red bean paste, strawberry, rose, orange, pineapple, strawberry, lemon, durian and so on.
Address: snack shops in Huguo Temple.
07
Barbecue Wan Yuanxiao and Tangyuan coexist.
As a 300-year-old barbecue shop, BBQ Wan is famous for its barbecue, and Yuanxiao is also the highlight of the Lantern Festival every year.
In order to ensure a good taste, the Yuanxiao in the barbecue bowl is made with stuffing the night before, and then sold by shaking it the next day. Moreover, the ratio of stuffing to glutinous rice flour is well controlled, so it is not only easy to cook, but also has a waxy and chewy taste.
In addition to the sale of Yuanxiao, there are dumplings in the BBQ Wan. Tangyuan tastes soft and elastic, and when you bite it, there is a feeling of gauze passing by, which makes people feel fragrant.
Tips
Taste: traditional black sesame, hawthorn, bean paste, chocolate, etc.
Address: No.58, Nanlishi Road, Xicheng District.
08
NanlaishunSweet and soft glutinous rice
Beijing has four shun in the southeast and northwest, and another shun. Nan Laishun is near the Grand View Garden, selling halal snacks and cooking.
As one of the three time-honored brands in Beijing, Nanlaishun also has a long history. Its Yuanxiao is famous in Beijing for its fine selection of materials, exquisite craftsmanship and sweet, fragrant and soft taste.
Tips
Taste: traditional black sesame, hawthorn, Wuren, etc.
Address: No.12 Nancaiyuan Street (West Gate of Daguan Garden).
Having introduced so many old Yuanxiao, have you decided what flavor to buy? No matter which one you choose, go before the fifteenth day of the first month!
(Zhang Xiaoying)
