The second of Anyang's Three Treasures: thick slabs of mung bean vermicelli bound with sweet potato starch, dried shrimp, lard, ginger, and garlic, steamed into a cohesive cake, then sliced and pan-fried until both faces turn a burnished gold. Chewy and silky within, crispy outside, eaten with garlic dipping sauce or braised into vegetable stews.
Folk tradition traces 皮渣 to a poor household in the Anyang region—some accounts place it in Linzhou Rencun—where a host with scant provisions boiled broken noodle scraps together and thickened the thin liquid with starch slurry; the mixture set into a solid block upon cooling. The name pí zhā (皮渣, literally 'skin scraps') reflects this improvised origin from leftover noodle fragments. Over generations the dish became fixed in Anyang kitchens as a New Year staple and street snack, eventually being named one of the three foods locals call 'Anyang Sanbao' (Three Treasures), alongside blood cake (血糕) and fermented starch-water porridge (粉浆饭).
The pan-fried crust offers a satisfying, sandy scrape at first bite; inside, the starch cake is silky and springy, carrying the savory depth of bone broth, dried shrimp, and rendered lard together. Garlic dipping sauce draws a clean, sharp line through the richness.
Pizha's texture depends on a two-stage starch phase transition. During steaming, the sweet potato starch and the amylose in the mung bean vermicelli gelatinise at 65–80°C: molecular chains hydrate and swell, forming a uniform gel matrix that binds the chopped vermicelli into a cohesive slab. On cooling, retrogradation occurs—amylose chains recrystallise and entangle with amylopectin, stiffening the gel into a firm, sliceable cake. Pan-frying drives surface water activity to near zero, triggering Maillard browning at around 140°C and creating a golden, crispy shell while the interior retains its silky moisture.
Variations
Braised version (烩皮渣): unfried pieces simmered in pork bone broth with tofu, cabbage, and vermicelli for a softer, soup-forward result. Steamed bowl variant (扣碗皮渣): layered with pork belly and steamed whole. New Year banquet version incorporates chopped wood-ear mushroom and dried scallop into the batter.
On the Palate
Where Anyang Pan-Fried Pork-Starch Cake sits in the Chinese flavor cloud
Ingredients
Serves 4
How it's made
7 steps · 20 min
- 110 min
Boil mung bean vermicelli in plenty of water for 5 minutes until fully softened; drain and cool
- 23 min
Roughly chop softened vermicelli into 3–4 cm lengths
- 35 min
Combine chopped vermicelli with sweet potato starch, dried shrimp, lard, minced ginger, minced garlic, chopped scallions, broth, and salt; mix thoroughly until starch is fully incorporated and no dry pockets remain
- 43 min
Transfer mixture to a well-oiled deep bowl or rectangular mold, pressing down firmly to eliminate air pockets
- 530 min
Steam over high heat for 30 minutes until the centre is fully set; a skewer inserted in the middle should come out clean
Watch outSteam a full 30 minutes and test the center with a skewer — it must come out clean with no raw starchy smear, or the cake won't set firm enough to slice.
- 665 min
Remove from steamer; cool completely at room temperature then refrigerate for 1 hour until firm and easily sliceable
- 78 min
Unmold; cut into slices about 1 cm thick; pan-fry in oil over medium heat for 3–4 minutes per side until both faces are deep golden and crispy
Watch outFry over medium and don't flip until the underside is deep golden and crisp — moving it early tears the soft cake and you lose the crackly shell.
Archive tool suggestions — not reviewed
These legacy suggestions have not been evidence-reviewed and are not presented as required tools.
