Farmers in Yunlin have reproduced their popular “golden zongzi” for 2021. After a hiatus due to the pandemic, food lovers are once more lining up to order the treats, a lighter twist on the traditional sticky rice ball. A special type of Taiwanese rice stars in the recipe, with shrimps, streaky pork and shiitake mushrooms rounding off the meal.

Two bamboo leaves are wrapped tight around a scoopful of uncooked rice. Then a ladle of shallots, mushrooms, shrimps, and streaky pork. It’s topped off with more rice, sprinkled with local Yunlin peanuts, and bundled up tight. In no time the golden zongzi are bubbling in the pot, filling the room with a delicious scent.

The golden rice in these zongzi is Tainung no. 76, mixed with sticky rice in a 4:6 ratio. With only 60% sticky rice, they’re less liable to cause bloating. No. 76 is a chewy and popular variety. Once, farmers broke a record to sell 30,000 of these zongzi in just five hours.

Liao Chin-fu
Xiluo Township Farmers’ Association
They sell out instantly every year. We deliberately made almost 10,000 more this year, so we expect to have about 30,000 this year.

The special treats were off the menu last year due to the pandemic, but now they’re back. The head of the local farmers’ association says a price hike of NT$3 per zongzi was inevitable because of the rising cost of ingredients, but orders are as high as ever. If you’re a fan, it’s time to stake your claim.