Sticky Corn-flour Jelly (Jiao Tuan and Yu Yu)

Sticky corn-flour jelly (Jiao Tuan) is a special snack in the northwest areas of China, especially in Shaanxi province. It is a tofu-like foodstuff often seasoned with vinegar and chili. According to the materials, there are different sorts of Jiao Tuan, majorly including wheat jiao tuan, corn Jiaotuan and tomato Jiaotuan as well as buckwheat Jiaotuan.

The Cooking method of Jiaotuan is simple but not easy because controlling fire needs rich experience and skill. Firstly, heating water and put the wheat into the boiling water slowly, meanwhile, stir the batter regularly. Attention should be paid on the stirring’s direction, which means it should keep in the same direction in the whole process. Then continue to stir the batter and heat it over medium. Drop the batter into a bowl, if it becomes thicker and just takes shape, which means it is semi-finished product. Finally, heat it over soft fire when there are no knots in batter and stirring needs keeping.

Sticky Corn-flour Jelly

Yu Yu is the Jiao Tuan in the shape like fish. When Jiaotuan is done, put a barrier fabric above a pot with cold water inside and drop the Juatuan on the barrier. When the batter drops into the cold water, the original Jiaotuan will be in a fishing-like shape.

When the Jiaotuan and yuyu is done, put the special sour soup into the bowl and some chill oil, garlic juice and green vegetables on it, a snack with both good appearance and taste could just be tasted.

The traditional food is popular in Shaanxi zone for a long time. A bowl of Jiaotuan with chill oil in cold winter always is a dreamful dish for Shaanxi people and Yuyu with sour soup saves people’s poor appetite in the hot summer.