Fried Bean Jelly, known as 炒凉粉 (chǎo liáng fěn) in Chinese, is a traditional snack originating from Kaifeng City in Henan Province, belonging to the Henan cuisine. This dish is characterized by its translucent and smooth texture, offering a refreshing and pleasant mouthfeel. It comes in various types, typically made from pea flour, mung bean flour, or yam flour, diluted with water to form a paste, cooked, cooled, and solidified into blocks known as “liáng fěn” in local dialects.
The history of Fried Bean Jelly is intertwined with Emperor Liu Xiu of the Eastern Han Dynasty. Legend has it that Emperor Liu Xiu was an avid fan of liáng fěn. After ascending to the throne, he brought the craft of making liáng fěn to Luoyang and enjoyed it throughout the year. To allow him to enjoy liáng fěn even during the cold seasons, his chef, Ji Zun, developed two new cooking methods: rolling liáng fěn and frying liáng fěn. Frying liáng fěn thus became a preferred dish served during imperial banquets, and its preparation methods have been passed down through generations to the present day.
Ingredients and Preparation:
- Ingredients: The main ingredient for Fried Bean Jelly is liáng fěn, typically made from sweet potato or mung bean starch. Additional ingredients include soybean paste, spring onions, ginger, garlic, and other seasonings.
- Preparation Method:
- First, prepare the starch paste by mixing the flour with water to form a thin batter. Cook the batter in boiling water until it thickens, then let it cool and solidify into a jelly-like consistency, known as liáng fěn.
- Cut the cooled liáng fěn into approximately 1-centimeter square pieces and set aside.
- Prepare the spring onions, ginger, garlic, and both types of soybean paste.
- Heat a wok with some peanut oil and fry Sichuan peppercorns until fragrant. Remove the peppercorns, then stir-fry the spring onions, ginger, and garlic until aromatic. Add the soybean paste and continue stir-frying until fragrant.
- Add the pieces of liáng fěn into the wok, sprinkle with a pinch of salt, and stir-fry continuously to prevent sticking. Fry until the liáng fěn turns golden brown, then add a little chicken essence and drizzle with sesame oil before turning off the heat.
- Transfer the finished Fried Bean Jelly to a serving dish, garnish with chopped spring onions, and it’s ready to serve.
Fried Bean Jelly can be enjoyed on its own or paired with other dishes. In the Lingbao region of Henan Province, it is often served alongside crispy stone-baked flatbreads, adding a unique and delightful flavor to the dish. This culinary delight not only showcases the rich flavors and traditions of Henan cuisine but also reflects the ingenuity and cultural heritage passed down through centuries of Chinese culinary history.
