Rice is no stranger to the dinner tables of Chinese families. This extremely versatile grain can be used to create dishes in all imaginable shapes and sizes, giving rise to regionally distinct flavors and textures.?

Many parts of China have the custom to process cooked rice for longer storage. In Yunnan province, er, a local dish, is made from pounding cooked rice until the grains lose their individuality and gather into a soft yet chewy rice-cake texture. It can then be grilled, boiled, fried, thinly-sliced into noodles or used as desired.

The second season of Flavorful Origins, another masterpiece by Chinese food documentary director Chen Xiaoqing, the creator of A Bite of China, will premiere on Sept 9 on Tencent.com.

The season, consisting of 10 episodes, will shine a spotlight on Southwest China's Yunnan province, a region blessed with abundant sunlight, fresh produce and exotic spices.