Shangkeng Ginger Taro

Shangkeng Ginger Taro

　　Shangkeng Ginger Taro

　　The ginger taro produced in Shangkeng, Hexi, is a rare and renowned vegetable unique to Chaoyang, famous both domestically and abroad. Ginger taro has very strict soil requirements, and preparing the land is labor-intensive, which is why so few people grow it. Only the terrace fields in areas such as Kenwei, Dingshang, and Kengzai in Shangkeng are most suitable for cultivation. Shangkeng ginger taro resembles yam but is slightly smaller. Among the varieties, “Changdi” (long stem) is considered the finest, with thin skin, white flesh, and rich, sticky powder. When sliced and cooked in sweet soup, it curls up, becoming crispy yet smooth and refreshing; when cubed and steamed with sugar, it tastes clean, sweet, and uniquely flavorful; when mashed into taro paste and made into sweet five-fruit desserts, it becomes a popular delicacy at celebratory banquets. The people of Chaoshan love eating ginger taro, and it’s also part of local traditions—eating it around the “hearth gathering” on New Year’s Eve, enjoying sweet ginger taro on the first day of the Lunar New Year, and serving ginger taro soup to guests from the first day through the Lantern Festival. Overseas Chinese returning home, overseas Chaoshan people, and compatriots from Hong Kong and Macau all enjoy bringing ginger taro back to their places of residence, sharing it with relatives and friends to evoke nostalgia for their hometown.