(Exploring China｜Food) The world's sesame seed cakes come out of Shandong

　　China News Service, Jinan, March 19th: The world's best sesame cakes come out of Shandong

　　Author Li Mingrui Li Xin

　　Hold a freshly baked sesame seed cake, take a bite, and serve it with golden millet porridge and crispy pickles... For Shandong people who are addicted to pasta, this is the beginning of a happy day.

　　"Shaobing" was first seen in "Qimin Yaoshu" by Jia Sixie of the Northern Wei Dynasty, which states: "The method of making Shaobing: one bucket of noodles, two pounds of mutton, one bag of green onions, soy sauce and salt, boil until cooked. Bake until the noodles are ready. …”

Pancakes being baked.

(Photo courtesy of Juye County Integrated Media Center)

　　In 2024, Chinese sesame cakes were selected into the 50 most delicious breads in the world selected by CNN.

　　Shaobing, which is spread all over China, has its own sweet and salty taste, and each "family" has its own way of making it.

Northern sesame cakes make good use of salt and pepper, pastry, and sprinkled with sesame seeds, and are mostly used as a staple food; southern sesame cakes can be either a staple food or a snack, and can be salty, sweet or spicy.

　　"The world's sesame cakes come from Shandong."

As a "carbohydrate province", data shows that there are 13,600 sesame seed-related companies in Shandong, ranking first in China.

Freshly baked hanging oven pancakes.

(Photo courtesy of Juye County Integrated Media Center)

　　In Shandong, the "protagonist" of carbohydrates in the morning, lunch and dinner is naturally indispensable for sesame cakes.

Zhoucun sesame cakes are covered with sesame seeds and are as thin as paper; Wudalang sesame cakes are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside; Laiwu sesame cakes are crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, soft and crispy...

　　Among many kinds of sesame cakes, Wudalang sesame cakes became famous because of "Water Margin".

It began in the Northern Song Dynasty and was a staple food in northwest Shandong. It was originally called "Cooking Cake".

This is what Wu Dalang shouted in the TV series "Water Margin" when he went to the street to sell, "I'm selling cooking cakes, I'm selling cooking cakes."

　　According to He Zhuanglong, president of the Shandong Provincial Tourist Hotel Association, the cooking cake was improved by Cai Huaikun, the ninth generation inheritor, and was renamed "Wudalang Shaobing".

To make Wudalang sesame cakes, you need to mix the dough, flatten it, rub it with oil, dip it in salt and pepper, wrap it into a round shape, cut it with a flower knife, press it into the shape of the sesame cake, brush it with sugar syrup, dip it in sesame seeds, and bake it on charcoal in a hanging furnace. process.

"The chef's technique must be sophisticated and the heat should be moderate so that when the 'tongue' inside the sesame cake is taken out, it will not stick to the top or bottom."

　　"The making process of each type of sesame biscuits embodies the hard work and wisdom of the sesame biscuit making masters." He Zhuanglong told reporters that although the sesame biscuit making process seems simple, it contains profound skills and requires the use of high-quality flour, oil and other raw materials. , it can be made after multiple steps such as dough mixing, fermentation, shaping, and baking.

Sesame cakes in different places have unique cooking techniques.

　　Chen Zhikai, a citizen who has lived in Jinan for 40 years, is a fan of Shandong sesame cakes. In his memory, no matter where he was in Shandong, he would eat a local sesame cake every morning with a bowl of hot soup. This has become a part of his brain and taste buds. a part of.

"Now, I often take my son to the Shaobing shop to find the 'taste in memory'."

　　Chinese sesame cakes nourish the taste buds of Chinese people and also trigger the homesickness of those traveling far away.

Zhang Chunlin, who studied at Yonsei University in South Korea, always misses sesame seeds in his heart every time he walks on the streets of South Korea and sees the dazzling array of desserts in the windows.

“I’ve tried looking for shaobing in Chinese restaurants in Korea, but I’ve always struggled to find that familiar taste.”

Breakfast pairing with Weifang pork roast.

(Photo courtesy of Changle County Party Committee Propaganda Department)

　　A bite of sesame cake can be paired with various combinations for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Yan Yuanshu's collection of essays "Fireworks in the World" once described: "If the fried dough sticks and sesame cakes are combined into one, the tasteless will become flavorful, and the non-scent will become fragrant."

　　Nowadays, young diners are studying different "mixes" of sesame seed cakes, all of which have a variety of different flavors. "Pairing" with hot soup will instantly enhance the flavor, and pairing with soy milk will be a perfect way to relieve tiredness.

　　Shaobing is closely connected with Chinese people's daily life. In many places, it is an indispensable part of people's daily life.

"The reason why sesame biscuits are sought after by the majority of diners is that they combine history, cooking and folk customs." He Zhuanglong said that Chinese sesame biscuits have a profound historical heritage, unique cooking techniques and a long folk culture.

"Shaobing is not only a kind of delicacy, but also a symbol of different cultures represented by different regions." (End)