Zhonghe’s “Maji Red Bean Pancakes” — Homemade flavors made with motherly love

The owner of “Maji Red Bean Pancakes,” Tsai Sufen, adheres to making pancakes with the loving care of homemade meals for her family, strictly overseeing ingredient quality. (Photo by Ye Shuhong)

“Maji Red Bean Pancakes” offers a variety of flavors, with all fillings cooked in-house. (Photo by Ye Shuhong)

“Maji Red Bean Pancakes” offers a variety of flavors, with all fillings cooked in-house. (Photo by Ye Shuhong)

Tsai Sufen was originally a homemaker who took care of her family at home. Her younger daughter loved red bean pancakes, but recent food safety issues made her worry that her daughter might consume unhygienic ones. This led her to start a business — opening “Maji Red Bean Pancakes” in Zhonghe District, New Taipei City. Upholding the homemade taste she would make for her family and strictly controlling ingredient quality, she has won the love of many customers.

Tsai Sufen shared that her elementary school-aged daughter had always loved red bean pancakes. After seeing numerous food safety reports in the news, both she and her husband became very concerned. What started as a casual remark — “Why don’t we just make them for our daughter ourselves?” — gained support from their family. She then began learning the craft from well-known red bean pancake makers and further developed and refined the recipe herself.

Tsai Sufen said that before opening the shop, she and her husband had tried famous red bean pancakes from all over. Back home, they analyzed what made them delicious. The pancake skin is one key to good flavor. While many shops use a “cake-style” pancake skin, she insisted on the traditional old-school pancake skin. Only by using a traditional batter and mastering the heat can you bake out that crispy, tasty goodness.

“Strict control is how you eat safely and healthily!” Tsai Sufen pointed out that another key element is the filling. Not only does she buy fresh ingredients daily, but she also chose to rent a storefront at a higher cost just to ensure the ingredients could be stored in refrigerators and freezers to avoid spoilage. In addition, she specially purchased a thermal box so customers can enjoy warm red bean pancakes.

Tsai Sufen emphasized that all fillings are cooked in-house. Guided by the principle of making food for her family, she insists on less sugar, less salt, and less oil. Traditional red bean pancakes feature butter, red beans, and shredded radish. She has also developed additional flavors such as taro, egg, cheese corn, and butter red bean to meet different customer preferences. The shop also sells pure winter melon tea brewed and extracted from winter melon, osmanthus sour plum soup, and handmade cookies.

Tsai Sufen said that by choosing not to franchise, they have more direct control over raw material quality, ensuring that customers can eat with peace of mind. Customer Mr. Chen commented, “The ‘Maji Red Bean Pancakes’ have a very Q (chewy) texture, and the generous fillings make every bite a burst of happiness.”

Shop Name: Maji Red Bean Pancakes

Address: No. 56, Section 2, Zhongshan Road, Zhonghe District, New Taipei City

Phone: 0988-946-169

Business Hours: 12:00 PM to 8:30 PM (Closed on Sundays)

Prices: Red bean, butter, taro, red bean butter, shredded radish — NT$12; egg, cheese corn — NT$18