Jiuniang
Encyclopedia
Jiuniang is a sweet, soup- or pudding
-like dish in Chinese cuisine
made by fermenting glutinous rice
with a starter
(酒藥) containing yeast
and Aspergillus oryzae
. It was first developed as a by-product
of mijiu
production.
Although jiuniang is similar to an unfiltered rice wine
in that it is mildly alcoholic, it contains whole rice grains and is often made with Sweet Osmanthus
flowers; if made with Sweet Osmanthus flowers the dish is called guihua jiuniang (桂花酒酿).
Jiuniang is often served together with small unfilled tangyuan during the Dongzhi Festival, a Chinese winter holiday dedicated to the ancestors. When served in such a manner it is called jiuniang tangyuan (酒酿汤圆) or "jiuniang yuanzi" (酒酿圆子), or, with Sweet Osmanthus, guihua jiuniang tangyuan (桂花酒酿汤圆). All forms of jiuniang are typically eaten with a spoon.
It is very similar to the southern Vietnamese dish cơm rượu, which usually contains balls of rice. It is also similar to the Korean sikhye
and Japanese amazake
, although these are a bit thinner in texture and considered drinks rather than soups or puddings.
Rice pudding
Rice pudding is a dish made from rice mixed with water or milk and sometimes other ingredients such as cinnamon and raisins. Different variants are used for either desserts or dinners. When used as a dessert, it is commonly combined with a sweetener such as sugar.-Rice pudding around the world:Rice...
-like dish in Chinese cuisine
Chinese cuisine
Chinese cuisine is any of several styles originating in the regions of China, some of which have become highly popular in other parts of the world – from Asia to the Americas, Australia, Western Europe and Southern Africa...
made by fermenting glutinous rice
Glutinous rice
Glutinous rice is a type of short-grained Asian rice that is especially sticky when cooked. It is called glutinous Glutinous rice (Oryza sativa var. glutinosa or Oryza glutinosa; also called sticky rice, sweet rice, waxy rice, botan rice, biroin chal, mochi rice, and pearl rice, and pulut) is a...
with a starter
Fermentation starter
Fermentation starters are preparations to assist the beginning of the fermentation process in preparation of various foods and fermented drinks. A starter culture is a microbiological culture which actually performs fermentation...
(酒藥) containing yeast
Yeast
Yeasts are eukaryotic micro-organisms classified in the kingdom Fungi, with 1,500 species currently described estimated to be only 1% of all fungal species. Most reproduce asexually by mitosis, and many do so by an asymmetric division process called budding...
and Aspergillus oryzae
Aspergillus oryzae
Aspergillus oryzae is a filamentous fungus . It is used in Chinese and Japanese cuisine to ferment soybeans. It is also used to saccharify rice, other grains, and potatoes in the making of alcoholic beverages such as huangjiu, sake, and shōchū...
. It was first developed as a by-product
By-product
A by-product is a secondary product derived from a manufacturing process or chemical reaction. It is not the primary product or service being produced.A by-product can be useful and marketable or it can be considered waste....
of mijiu
Mijiu
Mijiu is a variety of Chinese wine made from rice. As a fermented beverage, it is categorized as a form of huangjiu. It is generally clear and somewhat sweet, like its Japanese counter-part sake. Its alcohol content ranges between 12% and 20%....
production.
Although jiuniang is similar to an unfiltered rice wine
Rice wine
Rice wine is an alcoholic beverage made from rice. Unlike wine, which is made by fermentation of naturally sweet grapes and other fruit, rice "wine" results from the fermentation of rice starch converted to sugars...
in that it is mildly alcoholic, it contains whole rice grains and is often made with Sweet Osmanthus
Sweet Osmanthus
Osmanthus fragrans is a species of Osmanthus native to Asia, from the Himalaya east through southern China and to Taiwan and to southern Japan...
flowers; if made with Sweet Osmanthus flowers the dish is called guihua jiuniang (桂花酒酿).
Jiuniang is often served together with small unfilled tangyuan during the Dongzhi Festival, a Chinese winter holiday dedicated to the ancestors. When served in such a manner it is called jiuniang tangyuan (酒酿汤圆) or "jiuniang yuanzi" (酒酿圆子), or, with Sweet Osmanthus, guihua jiuniang tangyuan (桂花酒酿汤圆). All forms of jiuniang are typically eaten with a spoon.
It is very similar to the southern Vietnamese dish cơm rượu, which usually contains balls of rice. It is also similar to the Korean sikhye
Sikhye
Sikhye is a traditional sweet Korean rice beverage, usually served as a dessert...
and Japanese amazake
Amazake
is a traditional sweet, low-alcoholic Japanese drink made from fermented rice. Amazake dates from the Kofun period, and it is mentioned in the Nihon Shoki. It is part of the family of traditional Japanese foods made using that includes miso, soy sauce, and sake....
, although these are a bit thinner in texture and considered drinks rather than soups or puddings.