People living in Jiading district like to get together on winter days to make fried pumpkin pies and wipe out cold.
The 75-year-old Zhu Lanying is a master hand at making pumpkin pies. She has been making the popular dessert for over 40 years.
After blending 500 grams of flour and two spatulas of mashed pumpkin in 70 C hot water is the secret to Zhu's pies. Once this is done she kneads the dough and makes pumpkin pies that are soft with slight sweetness.
As Zhu finished her preparation, her neighbors helped by butting the dough into small round pieces, put in some red bean paste, shaped them round again, and then flattened them.
After 10 minutes deep frying in boiling oil, the pumpkin pies looked appetizing, golden in color and smelling sweet.
"We used to make pumpkin pies without fillings when we were poor, and those seasoned with sugar were already special treats," said Yuan Xiufen, a neighbor. "Nowadays, our life is better and we can use not only red bean paste fillings but also shredded pork fillings."
Round rice puddings made from pumpkin dough, which have different sizes and fillings, are another local specialty. A bowl of rice puddings conveys the wish of Jiading residents to have a family reunion every year.
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Freshly fried pumpkin pies served by Jiading residents [Photo/jiading.gov.cn] |