Described as a type of ‘flour mush’ made from different types of flour, Chatang, is a sweet dense cake that is prepared in several stages. First, the flours are cooked by stir-frying. At the time of serving, hot water is poured into a bowl with the flours and then stirred to create a ‘mush’. This is topped with sugar and a sweet osmanthus sauce. Traditionally, serving chatang required a bit of a performance, with the pouring of boiling water necessitating considerable skill as the water was poured from a vessel with a dragon-shaped spout. Modern-day chatang is not quite as demanding and like many foods, it is available from the local snack stores or Beijing cuisine restaurants. The time-honored Chatang Li is a must to visit for Chatang.
Update: June 23, 2021