Jiufen has lots of choices of Taiwanese foods and snacks. Here is what to eat in Jiufen Town….
What to Eat in Jiufen Town—Taro Ball Sweet Soup “yu wan” 芋丸
Taro is a commonly used in Taiwanese cooking. Cooks make it from taro/flour/potato starch and then roll it into balls. They then boil the balls in a sweet soup. The taro is chewy and sweet when you eat it. When visitors ask what to eat in Jiufen Town, the first answer is this!!
The taro balls in the soup are purple. The orange balls are sweet potato.
Taro ball soup tastes great when the weather is cold. You can also add red bean, green bean, and peanuts to the mixture as well.
Here is a short clip….
Other additions to the taro ball soup.
Below is a spooful of taro, sweet potato, and some red beans.
A sign for taro soup. Only 50NT. Some places let you choose a ginger soup for the broth.
Ice Cream Spring Rolls 冰淇淋春卷
Ice cream spring rolls are common at many markets in Taiwan. There are a few places in Jiufen that sell them.
The spring rolls are made with ice cream, shaved fresh peanut candy, and cilantro. It is then wrapped in a spring roll skin.
A shop demonstrates how to prepare the ice cream spring roll.
Ice cream on shaved peanut candy on the spring roll wrapping is what to eat in Jiufen Town.
Taiwanese Meat Rolls “rou yuan” 肉圓
Rou Yuan is a very traditional Taiwanese food and many Taiwanese will tell you this is what to eat in Jiufen Town first. It basically is flavored seasoned pork stuffed inside a gelatinous pocket. The round bun is then boiled and served hot with a sauce on top. Rou Yuan can be found all over Taiwan and is served and seasoned in many different ways.
The “Hong Zao Rou Yuan” stall has been around for over 20 years.Give it a try for a unique and famous Jiufen taste.
Barbecued Food
There is no shortage of barbecued food in Jiufen. Below, sausages are for sale.
Barbecued tofu simmers on the fire.
Fresh snails, still in shell, are heated up on the grill.
Other Taiwanese Foods
This shop sells “luobogao” 蘿蔔糕 or turnip cake. Luobogao is a popular in Taiwan and dimsum restaurants in Hong Kong. Cooks mix turnips/flour/potato starch and cook it in a large bin. You can eat it “raw” or pan fried with a sauce. Often you can find lubogao when you eat dim sum.
Fresh boiled eggs cooked in a spiced broth. The broth seeps into the eggs and gives it a unique flavor.
Workers package freshly made peanut candy.
Related Links:
Jiufen Township 九份 | Jiufen Teahouse 九份茶館 | Jiufen-What to Eat 九份點心
