Guo Gou Rice Noodle Introduction
In the early morning, as dawn breaks, the Chengyuan area is filled with customers eager to buy, and once the crowd thins, the products are pushed to the temple entrance, typically selling out within an hour. By closing time, it is not even 8:00 AM, which is the legend of "Guo Gou Mi Tai Mu." The founder, Zhuang Jin Hua (born in 1938), faced the unfortunate loss of his son, and with his daughter-in-law, Yu Liang Ying (Ah Yue Zi), going out to work, Zhuang Jin Hua took on the responsibility of caring for his three young grandchildren while making and selling rice pudding to supplement the household income. Later, his sister taught him the secrets of making Mi Tai Mu, leading him to switch from selling rice pudding to Mi Tai Mu. Initially, Zhuang Jin Hua sold his products by carrying a lead bucket along the street, later transitioning to using a cart, and eventually setting up shop at the temple entrance. In 2010, as Zhuang Jin Hua aged, his daughter-in-law, Yu Liang Ying (Ah Yue Zi), took over the business, continuing the legacy of "Guo Gou Mi Tai Mu" at the temple entrance. The production of Mi Tai Mu requires considerable effort. The night before, the glutinous rice must be soaked for 5 hours. Rising at around 2 AM, the rice is ground into a batter using a rice grinder, reserving a small portion for thickening, while the rest is poured into a large pot to be stir-fried manually until dry. Then, flour and sweet potato starch are mixed evenly in a mixing machine to prepare the rice cakes. Scallions are sautéed until fragrant, combined with dried shrimp, crispy scallions, and five-spice seasoning, and then set aside. Water is added to the pot to cook...
