How to make pea cake, simple and delicious

Peas, as a food with very high nutritional value, often appear on the tables of the boss. Because of its sweet taste and low price, it has always been widely loved. Pea cake is a pastry that cannot be missed. Now, let us learn how to make this delicious pastry.

Pea cake is one of the top ten famous snacks in Taiyuan, Shanxi, and is a must-have food for cooling off in summer. People in Shanxi like to eat bean paste, especially in Quwo, Houma, Hejin and other places, so "pea cake" is also called "bean paste cake" or "Chengsha cake". Local people like to eat bean paste cake, which has become a business strategy for many outsiders. There is a folk saying that goes "Come to Quwo County and live in Dadongguan. Carry a load and earn some money from the bean paste." During the Republic of China period, there were many stalls selling red bean paste cakes, which became a local snack with unique flavor.

According to the "A Grand View of Chinese Imperial Cuisine", pea cakes were introduced to Beijing in the early Qing Dynasty. After being improved and produced, they were renamed pea yellow and became a famous snack in Yanjing. Hence the saying "Food has always belonged to Yanjing, pea yellow has been famous for a long time, red dates are embedded with gold currants, and a piece of yellow jujube can be bought for ten cents." Emperor Qianlong once had a dish called "pea yellow" in his breakfast, but it was not popular in the palace at that time. During the reign of Empress Dowager Cixi, vendors were invited to the palace to make the dish, which was improved so that it did not have fillings. It gradually became a famous delicacy in the Qing court.

Pea cake is made from peas, gardenias and persimmons. The craftsmanship is exquisite and requires careful time and effort. You need to select the right ingredients, simmer over low heat and stir with a wooden spoon. In 1957, pea cake was named one of the "Top Ten Famous Snacks of Taiyuan". In 2010, the pea cake made by Grandpa Jia Dewang was nominated as an intangible cultural heritage of Taiyuan city. The production process of pea cake is very particular. First, grind the washed white peas into two pieces with a grinder, and then use a wicker dustpan to winnow out the bean skins. Place a large stainless steel pot filled with water over a coke fire and bring it to a boil. Pour in the ground and peeled peas. After the pot boils, skim off the foam. Simmer over low heat for 3 and a half hours until the peas become a paste. Add sugar and gardenia for color and stir well with a large wooden spoon. Remove the lid and steam the persimmon cake, then cut it into thin slices and spread it in a large enamel basin, arrange it in a Hui-shaped pattern, sprinkle a layer of green and red silk on top, pour in a layer of cooked pea paste, then a layer of persimmon cake, and a layer of pea paste, fill the basin tightly, and the pea cake is basically formed. Then put it in the refrigerator to condense and it can be eaten after a few hours.