Students cook ancient rice dish based on 2,000-year-old manuscript with surprisingly healthy results

A group of students recently recreated a rice dish using an ancient recipe – and the results were unusual.

The challenge was undertaken by researchers at the Yuelu Academy of Hunan University in China, according to a report from China Daily.

The project was based on an ancient bamboo text called the “Shi Fang” manuscript.

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The text offers a wealth of information on ancient Chinese cooking practices, offering recipes from steamed fish to chicken soup.

After bringing together 10 students from Hunan University – and one from China Agricultural University in Beijing – the group began the process of recreating an ancient rice recipe from the 2,000-year-old manuscript.

Researchers also selected a type of non-glutinous rice that would have resembled Han Dynasty-era white rice. After multiple experiments, students came up with a plan to recreate the recipe.

Using wooden steamers and clay pots, the students soaked the rice for half an hour before draining it. Then, they steamed it for 20 minutes and let it cool, before adding water again and steaming for an extra 15 minutes.

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But unlike modern rice, which is usually described as fluffy and grainy, the ancient rice was “loose yet elastic,” according to China Daily.

The rice also had a “pleasing texture and notably lower sugar content [than modern rice.]”

Peter Brian Ditmanson, an American professor working at the Yuelu Academy, described the dish as a “comfort food,” according to China Daily.

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Luo Jiayi, a student from Hunan University, raved about the experiment while speaking to the outlet.

“Through the vivid and intriguing bamboo slips, the ancient foodies from 2,000 years ago came to life before my eyes,” she said.

“Cooking rice from the Western Han Dynasty period has deepened our appreciation for the richness and allure of traditional Chinese culture,” Luo added.

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Shi Jing, an associate professor at Yuelu Academy, commended the project while admitting that recreating historical recipes poses some limits.

“While complete authenticity is impossible, combining Han-era techniques with modern technology allows students to tap into ancient wisdom,” Shi said.

Fox News Digital reached out to Ditmanson for additional comment.