Mi Jiang
米漿·(mǐ-jiāng)
台式早餐 (Táishì Zǎocān) - Taiwanese Breakfasts, Fast in the Suburbs
Two steaming steel vats sit at the front of any Taiwanese breakfast shop at dawn: one holding white soy milk, the other a dark brew called mi jiang. It is a thick emulsion of deep-roasted peanuts, toasted white sesame seeds, and a slab of brown rock sugar—built for dunking fried dough or washing down a flaky scallion pancake. While purists soak raw grains overnight, Taiwanese grandmothers hate wasting food and figured out long ago that last night's leftover rice drops into a Vitamix pitcher and, once the blender blades roar, turns into an instant, velvety suspension. Give it ten minutes on a Tuesday morning, pour it steaming into a heavy mug, and let your kitchen smell like a Taipei alleyway.
Ingredients
- raw unsalted skinless peanuts1 cup
- cooked short or medium-grain white rice1/2 cup
- toasted white sesame seeds1 tbsp
- water4 1/2 cup
- turbinado or light brown sugar1/3 cup
- kosher salt1/8 tsp
Method
- 01
Toast the peanuts in a dry skillet over medium-low heat for 8 to 10 minutes until deeply golden brown and fragrant.
Keep them moving so they don't scorch. The color of your peanuts dictates the color and soul of the drink—take them right to the edge of dark amber, then pull them off the heat immediately.
- 02
Blend the warm peanuts, cold cooked rice, sesame seeds, and 2 cups of the water on high speed for 90 seconds until completely pulverized and velvety smooth.
Do not strain this mixture; traditional mi jiang relies on the whole pulverized grain and nut solids for its body.
- 03
Pour the slurry into a medium saucepan, swish the remaining 2 1/2 cups of water inside the blender jar to catch every last drop, and add it to the pot.
- 04
Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer over medium heat while stirring constantly with a flat-bottomed wooden spoon or heatproof spatula.
Do not walk away from the stove. As the rice starches heat up, they swell rapidly and sink; if you stop scraping the bottom of the pot, the starches will scorch and turn the whole batch bitter.
- 05
Turn off the heat once the liquid bubbles and thickens to the consistency of heavy cream, about 5 to 7 minutes, then stir in the sugar and salt until dissolved.
Serve piping hot in deep bowls or mugs.
Notes
If you buy pre-roasted unsalted peanuts, still give them 3 minutes in a dry skillet.
Waking up those dormant oils in the pan is non-negotiable for getting true old-school street stall aroma.
In a desperate weeknight pinch, substitute 1/2 cup of natural, unsweetened creamy peanut butter for the whole nuts.
You will lose some of that freshly toasted aroma, but it still delivers a comforting mug in five minutes flat.
Adjust the thickness to your liking with hot water.
Leftover rice varies in moisture, and mi jiang thickens as it cools. Whisk in a splash of boiling water right in the pot if it feels more like porridge than a drink.