Hsinchu’s Most Popular Market Snacks: Traditional Glutinous Rice Dumplings, Wontons & Savory Tangyuan

Text & Photos /San Gao Eats Han

I rarely go inside the Central Market. When I’m around here, I usually just grab some Xishi rice noodle soup from the nearby Ximen Market or buy half a chicken from a nearby stall to take home. I never had much interest in trying the glutinous rice dumplings from that stall inside, but J said she’d tried them and thought they were okay, so this time she brought me in. It was packed, and we wandered around for a while.

I used to visit Zhulian Market occasionally. The dining area on the second floor was one of my go-to spots for breakfast, but the stalls there are all pretty similar—whether it’s the items they sell or how the food tastes. There’s not much to highlight for now. I’ve been to the Hakka big tangyuan stall twice; last time I only had their side dishes, but this time I also ordered the big tangyuan.

The location of the glutinous rice dumplings at the Central Market is hard to describe (just judge from the photos~). I heard they’ve been selling them for nearly 60 years? At first, I saw a sign for glutinous rice dumplings and walked over, but J stopped me and said it wasn’t the right place—it was really... Eventually, we found the “authentic” one. Business is much better here, with the small shop packed with customers.

The menu is simple here. This bowl is a combo of glutinous rice dumplings and wontons in a big bone broth—a very straightforward snack. The glutinous rice dumplings are quite small, and their texture was different from what I expected. The layer of glutinous rice wrapping isn’t thick, and it melts easily with a bite or two, though it doesn’t get mushy. It still feels quite different from the thicker, more solid glutinous rice balls used in stuffed tangyuan.

The meat filling inside has a flavor that I felt was well-seasoned, and paired with the glutinous rice outer layer, the taste is pretty balanced. The wonton wrappers are a pale yellow rather than the yellow you’d get from egg, so I’m guessing they used alkali—they’re more elastic and hold up better when cooked. But I still prefer the glutinous rice dumplings. (The wonton wrappers at Ah Zhong’s pasta also come to mind as being similar.)

On the far right of the second-floor snack row in Zhulian Market is the Hakka Big Tangyuan stall. I think the grilled salted pork next to it is more eye-catching, with its fragrant aroma wafting over...

This place also sells glutinous rice dumplings, though I haven’t tried them yet. I grabbed a plate of luwei (braised) cold cuts first—fresh pork intestines, braised pork skin, slightly fried soft tofu, and adding a bit of chili sauce or chili oil is pretty good too.

This bowl of big tangyuan—the broth alone tastes similar to the tangyuan my mom (who’s Hakka) makes back home, with a layer of oil and the flavors of scallions, celery, and chrysanthemum greens blended in. It’s just that the ingredients aren’t as rich as what I make at home, so it feels a bit more “muted.”

The tangyuan are filled with preserved radish rice, stir-fried to a sweet-salty flavor—it’s fragrant and pretty tasty, but overall there’s always a sense that it’s not quite substantial enough. I guess it’s really about the richness of the ingredients?

Central Market Glutinous Rice Dumplings
Address: No. 2, Lane 2, Ximen St., East District, Hsinchu City (No. 92, Central Market)
AM6:00–PM5:00 (Closed Mondays)

Hakka Big Tangyuan
Address: 2F, No. 15, Zhulian St., East District, Hsinchu City
AM6:30–PM1:30 (Closed Mondays)

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