Jinyun Crispy Flatbread (缙云烧饼), also known as “Huangdi Cake (黄帝烧饼)” or “Xuanyuan Cake (轩辕烧饼),” is deeply rooted in legend. It is said that Emperor Xuanyuan Huangdi once baked dough on the wall of an alchemy furnace while making elixirs on Jinyun Mountain’s Dinghu Peak. After Huangdi ascended to heaven riding a dragon, the local people mimicked his alchemy furnace using clay to create their own baking ovens, giving birth to the early form of Jinyun Crispy Flatbread. This legend endows the flatbread with a rich cultural heritage, making it not just a food but a symbol of cultural transmission.
Making Process:
The preparation of Jinyun Crispy Flatbread involves meticulous steps:
- Preparing Ingredients: Key ingredients include local wheat flour, fresh pork, and nine-head mustard greens (or pickled mustard greens). The selection of ingredients is crucial for the flatbread’s taste and texture.
- Kneading Dough: Flour is mixed with water to make a dough, using hot soup in winter and cold water in summer to ensure proper fermentation.
- Making Filling: Pork is diced and mixed with pickled mustard greens and salt to create the filling. This step requires skill to ensure the filling is flavorful.
- Shaping: After proofing, the dough is divided, filled with the mixture, sealed, and flattened into a round cake, typically 10-15 cm in diameter.
- Baking: The flatbread is brushed with malt syrup and sprinkled with sesame seeds on one side, while the other side is brushed with water and pressed against the hot wall of a charcoal oven. It is baked for 3-4 minutes until golden brown and fragrant. Mastery of the baking process is crucial for achieving the desired texture and color.
Flavor Characteristics:
Jinyun Crispy Flatbread is renowned for its distinctive qualities:
- Crispy Exterior: The flatbread’s outer layer becomes crispy and delicious after baking, with a satisfying crunch when bitten.
- Flavorful Filling: The filling, made from pork and pickled mustard greens, offers a rich and varied taste.
- Rich Aroma: The flatbread exudes a complex aroma from the combination of malt syrup, sesame seeds, and savory filling, creating a memorable taste experience.