Xinshi yuanzi: A bowl of yam balls, a bite of nostalgia

Xinshi yuanzi is a must-have on the dinner table in Xinshi town, central China's Hunan Province.

Yuanzi, which translates to "balls," is mainly made with sweet potatoes, bananas, flour and sugar. The ingredients are first mixed into a batter, and then fermented for about an hour and a half in summer and longer in winter. Next, the fermented batter is made into rugby-shaped balls and fried in oil.

The proper temperature of the oil is crucial if you want to make delicious yuanzi, said chef Liao Yalin, who works at a local agritainment facility.

"When it reaches around 180 degrees Celsius, you put the balls in the oil for six to seven seconds, and take them out. You should wait until they cool completely, and fry them again until they turn golden on the surface. Then crispy and sweet Xinshi yuanzi is completed."

Liao Yalin, a native of Xinshi, works at a local agritainment facility. (People's Daily Online/Yuan Meng)

Apart from being fried, Yuanzi can be steamed for another flavor. When fried balls have been cooled, you can steam them for several minutes to get soft and glutinous steamed yuanzi.

Xinshi yuanzi symbolizes reunion and happiness, so it is always served as the first dish at a grand banquet.

For the people of Xinshi, yuanzi carries their nostalgic memories. Liao said that when he was young, his family could not afford snacks, and a bowl of sweet and tasty yuanzi was delicious enough to satisfy his appetite.

"Whenever I eat yuanzi, I always recall Xinshi and my happy childhood," he said.