[Video/WeChat account: hafbwx]

Hai'an in Nantong is one of the main rice-farming areas in China and its natives have treated glutinous rice as a staple food since a long time ago.

Freshly-made fermented glutinous rice. [Photo/WeChat account: hafbwx]

The city boasts several hundred years of history in making fermented glutinous rice. Timing is crucial in the preparation process, from sourcing ingredients to soaking, steaming, and fermenting.

The rice must be soaked for more than 12 hours and steamed well after the water is drained.

After it cools, it is mixed with ground distiller's yeast and a hollow is made in the middle of the mixture to allow for fermentation at a room temperature of between 25 and 28 degrees centigrade.

A bowl of fermented glutinous rice sprinkled with dried sweet-scented osmanthus. [Photo/WeChat account: hafbwx]

As it sits, the hollow is filled with milk white rice wine, which gives off a faint scent of rice and sourness.

There are many ways to eat fermented glutinous rice. In addition to being eaten directly, it can be cooked with glutinous rice balls and eggs or made into steamed buns with flour.

As it is quite tonic, fermented glutinous rice is regarded as a dietary supplement in China for nourishing the body.