Kinmen Savory Taro-Rice Fritter is the signature snack of Yongkuan Fritter Shop on Jungguang Road in Jincheng, made by grinding rice and taro into batter, steaming it into a firm cake, then deep-frying it over a wood fire — a completely different process from the fried turnip cake common on Taiwan's main island. According to a Kinmen Daily News report, the recipe traces back to the shop founder's family, who relocated from Dingpu in Jinning to Hopu's Dongmen area and originally made the cake as a farm-season home snack before the founder's grandfather began selling it from a street stall near Guanyin Pavilion; the business has since passed down to a third generation, with the price rising over the decades from NT$0.5 to NT$5 per piece as recorded in the article.
According to a Kinmen Daily News report, Yongkuan's savory taro-rice fritter originated as a home snack made during the farming off-season by the founder's family after relocating from Dingpu, Jinning, to Hopu's Dongmen area; the founder's grandfather later sold it from a stall near Guanyin Pavilion, and the business has passed down to a third generation, with the price rising from NT$0.5 to NT$5 over the decades. The Kinmen County Tourism Bureau's official site (kinmen.travel) lists the shop's address as No. 44, Section 1, Jungguang Road, Jincheng, with a 4.4-star Google rating.
What is Kinmen Savory Taro-Rice Fritter
Kinmen savory taro-rice fritter is completely unlike the "fried turnip cake" common on the main island — the main island version uses shredded white radish mixed with rice batter; Kinmen's version grinds rice flour and taro together into batter, seasons with sea salt, white pepper, and black pepper, steams it into a firm cake, then cuts it into squares and deep-fries to order. The result is crisp outside and soft inside, with a subtle taro fragrance. Served with sweet chili sauce or white pepper, typically in multiple pieces per order at a coin price — a budget morning snack in Jincheng.
Why does it represent Kinmen? Savory taro-rice fritter is a snack unique to Hopu (old name for Jincheng) — almost no equivalent exists on the main island. Yongkuan has maintained this tradition for sixty years and appears twice on kinmen.travel; wood-fire frying is a technical threshold — oil temperature control determines the crispness of the crust, and the taro-to-rice ratio determines the depth of fragrance. One of Jincheng's early-morning breakfast options, it regularly appears alongside Cantonese congee and noodle porridge on Kinmen people's morning menu.
How to eat it the local way
Local knowledge
Verified facts (sponsored content filtered)
- Listed twice by the Kinmen County Tourism Bureau (kinmen.travel), confirmed as a small-change street snack unique to Hopu (old Jincheng).
- Yongkuan Savory Taro-Rice Fritter has maintained its tradition for sixty years, insisting on wood-fire frying — the representative veteran stall for this snack.
- Kinmen savory taro-rice fritter is made from ground rice flour and taro batter, a completely different process from main-island turnip cake.
Visitor tips
- Yongkuan operates from early morning to noon; often sold out by afternoon — arrive before 11 a.m.
- Best eaten fresh on the spot; if taking away, eat as soon as possible to avoid the crust softening.
- Parking in Jincheng is difficult; use the public lot near the Qiu Lianggong ancestral residence and walk to the old Jungguang Road area.
Data compiled from the Kinmen County Tourism Bureau, Kinmen Winery, and a large volume of public reviews, with sponsored content filtered out. Photos will be replaced with channel-exclusive footage after Dio's on-site shoot.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Kinmen savory taro-rice fritter the same as the fried turnip cake found on Taiwan's main island?
No — it is made from ground rice and taro batter, while the main island's fried turnip cake uses shredded white radish and rice batter, a completely different process.
How many generations has Yongkuan's fritter shop been running?
According to a Kinmen Daily News report, it has passed down to a third generation.
Where can you find it?
Yongkuan Fritter Shop at No. 44, Section 1, Jungguang Road, Jincheng, is the representative shop.
Sources
- 金門日報－口齒留香「鹹粿炸」 — 金門日報官方報導,含永寬傳承代數、起源、價格演變
- 永寬鹹粿店 | 金門觀光旅遊網 — 金門縣政府觀光處官方店家頁,含地址、營業時間