Ginger-scented fried pastries, also known as Jiangsu patch, Jiang Zhi patch, or honey patch, are not only a traditional snack in Beijing but also a part of the city’s tea food offerings. Tea foods are ceremonial dishes from the Manchu and Hui ethnic groups. When the Manchu people host banquets, it’s customary to start with tea and tea snacks before moving on to cold dishes, hot dishes, sweets, and soups, all served in a specific order. Hui people, who don’t drink alcohol, use tea as a substitute in social settings, making tea food an essential part of their culture. The Jiangsi Paicha from Nanlaishun was named a “Famous Beijing Snack” in 1997 and was later awarded the title of “Famous Chinese Snack.”
The name Jiangsi Paicha comes from the dish’s key ingredient: fresh ginger, which gives it a distinct ginger flavor. The preparation begins with ginger being peeled and finely minced. The dough is made by combining flour with a small amount of alum and then mixing it with cold water to form a dough. An alternative method involves rolling the dough through a machine several times until it forms smooth, thin sheets. These sheets are dusted with fine cornstarch, folded into long strips, and then sliced into pieces about 2 cm wide and 5 cm long. The pieces are stacked in pairs, with three cuts made in the center, then spread out into single layers and deep-fried in warm oil.
After frying, the pastries are coated in ginger syrup. To make the syrup, fresh ginger is sliced into thin strips and simmered in water. Once the ginger flavor is extracted, sugar is added, followed by malt syrup and osmanthus flowers. The mixture is boiled and then simmered before the fried pastries are dipped into this fragrant syrup, which gives them a light golden color and a crispy, sweet, and aromatic finish with a noticeable ginger taste.
The pastries coated in syrup have a golden hue and are crispy, sweet, and fragrant. They became famous after Nanlaishun in South Beijing earned the “Beijing Famous Snack” title in 1997, and the same year, they were recognized as a “Famous Chinese Snack.”
There is also a savory version of Paicha, made with flour, baking soda, and salt, which is fried in the same way but not coated in syrup. This version is crispy and mildly salty, and it’s often enjoyed as a snack with alcohol.
According to Mr. Zhang Cixi, author of Tianqiao Snacks, there were shops in old Tianqiao that specialized in selling small fried snacks, including tiny mahua twists and paicha. These were wrapped in grass paper with red labels and were popular as gifts during the New Year or as toys for children. It was said that the fried snacks were so small and delicately made that they were often praised in poems for their craftsmanship: “Made with skill for the future, this tiny snack pleases children. Wrapped in a beautiful box, it’s a display of exceptional talent.” Street vendors would shout out their sales pitch: “Buy one pack, get one free; Jiangxi sausage and pickled pepper!” Children would eagerly rush to buy them upon hearing the call.
Phoenix Lee https://chinese-tradition.com/ginger-scented-fried-pastry-a-classic-beijing-snack.html