Zeng Gao, An Unique Xian Local Food
Zeng Gao is a unique and traditional snack in Xi’an City. Besides Liangpi (cold skin noodles), Yangrou Paomo (Crumbled Flatbread in Mutton Stew) and Rou Jia Mo (Chinese Hamburger), it’s definitely another star on the list of Xi’an Food or What-to-eat-in-Xi’an. Numerous tourists would like to have a try when they travel in Xi’an.
Zeng Gao is more like a dessert, which uses glutinous rice and red jujube as raw materials, sometimes also adding red kidney beans, azuki beans, honey-preserved dates and raisins to enrich the flavor.
A Traditional Flavor That Can Be Easily Obtained
Zeng Gao has a long history dating back to Tang Dynasty (618-907). It popularizes in not only Xi’an but also the central area of Shaanxi Province, possibly out of the reason that it is easily cooked but tastes really special. Zeng Gao is cooked by way of steaming when the ingredients are mixed up in a special container named Zeng, hence the name.
Nowadays, people can make Zeng Gao at their own home because it doesn’t have to be steamed in this kind of container any more. Ordinary steam pot or rice cooker can also do the job.
Two sought-after Zeng Gao recommendations in Xian
1. Dongnanya (Southeast Asia) Zeng Gao 东南亚甑糕
The store can be found in the prosperous Muslim Quarter, more specifically, at the crossroad of Xiyangshi Street and North Guangji Street. Although not very large, it is always crowded with customers.
Tips: Muslim Quarter is rich in restaurants selling authentic Xi’an cuisines. After tasting Zeng Gao, you can also feast yourself with other snacks to make your Xi’an food tour more enjoyable.
2. Ma Wenzhang Pangzi (Fatty) Zeng Gao 马文章胖子甑糕
The owner learnt the craft from his elder generation. He doesn’t open a store, only selling Zeng Gao on a mobile stall setting up on his tricycle. People always find him at the crossroad of Sajinqiao Road and Laowu Alley, also a part of Muslim Quarter.
However, if you want to sample Pangzi Zeng Gao, you need to get there in the early morning because his Zeng Gao is so popular a staple for breakfast that all of it will be sold out before 9 a.m.
How to Make Zeng Gao at Home
- Soak glutinous rice and kidney beans overnight;
- Steam jujube for about 20 minutes so that the cores can be easily removed;
- Put all the ingredients into the steam pot following a certain order:
- bottom layer: glutinous rice
- the 2nd layer: jujube
- the 3rd layer: glutinous rice
- the 4th layer: kidney beans
- the 5th layer: glutinous rice
- top layer: jujube, sugar
- Add water to cover the top layer, and then steam it for 4-5 hours to get the perfect Zeng Gao.
