Soybean flour Pastry, also called Lǘdagunr, is one of Beijing old snacks. It is made of millet flour and water. More water shall be added when kneading dough so as to make it soft before being steamed. Grind fried soybeans into powder. When making Lǘdagunr, cover the outside of steamed millet flour dough with soybean powder and then roll the dough into film, spread red bean paste (or brown sugar), on the film and then get the film with bean paste on it rolled and cut into small pieces of about 100 grams, and as the last step, scatter some white sugar on such pieces. When making Lǘdagunr, the rolls must be made very even with clear layers. It is yellow in appearance, tasty, sweet and sticky and it has luscious soybean powder aroma. Soybean flour pastry is mainly made from soybean flour, and this is the reason why it is called soybean flour pastry. But why is it also called “Lǘdagunr” (meaning donkey rolling about)? It is a vivid metaphor. Once it is done, it shall be put into soybean flour to roll about.

     The scene is similar to donkey rolling about in the field, raising much dust. So it is given with this name. Even ancestors have questioned about the origin of its name. In A Collection of Beijing Snack Food, it says that: “A wonderful arrangement of brown sugar, small millet dough embedded in soybeans. Why people call it ‘Lǘdagunr? ‘Cause they are humorous.” And it also says, “Get glutinous millet flour dough steamed and made into film, spread brown sugar on it, and then cover it with soybean flour, and then it is ready to be sold. It is unconceivable that it is called ‘Lǘdagunr. ” It can be known that the name of “Lǘdagunr” has been established through long-term usage. Nowadays, many people only know its popular name instead of its correct name. Now, “Lǘdagunr” is offered by almost all snack bars in all seasons, but it is made of glutinous rice flour instead of millet flour now; yet, its color remains yellow as it is covered with soybean powder. It is a highly popular snack food.