Pea Flour Cake

As a traditional old Beijing snack, pea flour cake was at first created by Muslims, and later was introduced to the Court in the Qing Dynasty. According to tradition, pea flour cake is a must dish in Beijing locals dinning table on March 3rd of the Chinese lunar calender.
The process of making pea flour cakes is very exquisite and strict. Stew peas until they are tender, closely sieve it into paste, add sugar and sweet-scented osmanthus, after it solidifies, cut it into small cubes. As an imperial snack, pea flour cake has pure texture and golden color, which receives a great popularity among the public.
As for the story behind this snack, it is said that one day, the Empress Dowager Cixi was resting in the garden, and suddenly heard gongs and yellings from the street. The servants answered that the sound was made by vendor who was selling some snacks, and Cixi asked to bring the man into the garden. Once seeing the Empress, the vendor knelt on the ground and warmly recommended his products to her. After having a taste, Cixi highly praised those snacks and later let the man stay at the Court to exclusively make snacks for her.