The Chinese "Pyramids" (小窝头)

Pollenta Bun， 宫廷式窝头, originally uploaded by myviaggi.

Wo Tou － Polenta Bun， these days are like sand turned to gold.

Back in the old days, when flour was not sufficiently supplied, corn flour was considered as a replacement. It was cooked exactly the same way as flour was. It can be steamed, baked, roasted, fried or used as a wrapping for dumplings. The poor days were often referred to as 'Wo Tou's Days'. Some people from the baby boomer generation simply do not want to hear this name again. At one point, when life was improving, these golden pyramid shaped buns were forgotten.

However, Wo Tou even in the old days were not only for poor people - during the Qing Dynasty, the royal family had quite a different way of appreciating them. Made from chestnut flour, the buns almost looked the same, except they were in miniature size and served only as a snack.

Then, at one point in the 90's, people were reminded that not only did this grain save the Chinese in the past but when consumed the same way as refined flour, it contains much more vitamin, mineral, protein and fiber. Eating Wo Tou then became fashionable again.

Today royal recipes are widely available and the royal delicacies have become a Beijing retro lifestyle. I just had some Wo Tou in a Beijing cuisine restaurant where Beijing snacks are the specialities.

The little buns are so delicately made there. Each is about the size of a thumb, the flour is a mixture of chestnut and corn flour, and a tiny pitted date is hidden at the bottom of the pyramid. The sweet osmanthus syrup dip is also an option. We had so much fun tasting those!