Matsu Ding Bian Hu | Lienchiang Signature Dish

At half past five in the morning at Nangan's Jieshou Market, the large pot of broth at the stall is already rolling. The stall keeper scoops a ladle of rice milk and pours it smoothly along the inner rim of the wok: the milk sets instantly into thin sheets and slides down into the broth. Seasoned with a soup base of dried shrimp, dried flounder, and small dried fish, then finished with scallion and white pepper, this bowl of Ding Bian Hu is the morning flavor that Matsu people have carried down from their Fuzhou ancestors for generations.

What Is Ding Bian Hu

Ding Bian Hu (called "Ding Bian Hu" in Matsu and "Ding Bian So" in Fuzhou) is a traditional rice-based street snack from Eastern Fujian. The method: grind indica rice into a milky batter, then pour it in a thin stream along the inner rim of a large, intensely heated iron wok ("ding"). The batter sets on contact with the heat into thin sheets, which are then scooped down into the soup at the bottom of the wok. The soup base is simmered from pork bones, dried shrimp, dried flounder, small dried fish, and clams, and the toppings include day lily flowers, shiitake mushrooms, shredded pork, shrimp, and celery. The texture falls between flat rice noodles and rice ribbon noodles — soft and tender, with a savory, full-flavored broth.

Matsu's Ding Bian Hu and Keelung's Ding Bian So share the same Fuzhou origin, but the two versions have diverged: the Matsu version stays closer to the Fuzhou original, with a clearer broth and thinner rice sheets, while the Keelung version has undergone Taiwanization and features richer toppings and a thicker soup. The Lienchiang County government lists Ding Bian Hu as a representative Matsu specialty and it is the centerpiece of the archipelago's early-morning market culture. A-Mei Ding Bian Hu in Nangan's Jieshou Market has been operating for more than 20 years and is the stall recognized by both tourists and locals as the benchmark.

How to Eat It Like a Local

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Eat It at DawnDing Bian Hu is a traditional Matsu breakfast; stalls typically operate from around 5–10 a.m. and close once they sell out. Get up early.

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White Pepper Is the KeyAfter it arrives at the table, add a light dusting of white pepper. The rice fragrance, savory broth, and peppery heat combine — this is the defining Fuzhou-school finishing touch.

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Eat It HotThe rice sheets absorb the broth and turn mushy if they sit too long. Eat within 3–5 minutes of being served to catch that layer of tender softness.

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Add Egg or ExtrasYou can add a poached egg, a fried dough stick, or an oyster omelet on the side. This is the hearty breakfast combination Matsu locals go for when they want to fill up.

Local Know-How

Verified Third-Party Endorsements (Sponsorship Filtered)

The Lienchiang County Tourism Bureau lists Ding Bian Hu as a representative Matsu specialty, noting its Fuzhou tradition of pouring rice milk along the rim of the wok.
A-Mei Ding Bian Hu, located in Nangan's Jieshou Market, has been operating for over 20 years and is a well-known local institution.
Ding Bian Hu and Keelung's Ding Bian So share a common Fuzhou origin and are both representative culinary legacies of Eastern Fujian immigrant communities.

Visiting Tips

Most Jieshou Market stalls close before noon; arrive before 8 a.m. for the widest selection.
There are more tourists on weekends and queues form quickly; weekday early mornings are less crowded and feel more authentically local.
If someone in your group is vegetarian, note that Ding Bian Hu's broth contains meat-based ingredients — inform the stall keeper in advance or order a vegetarian alternative.

Data compiled from the Lienchiang County Tourism Bureau, Matsu Distillery, and a large volume of public reviews; sponsored content has been filtered out. Photos will be replaced with the channel's exclusive footage after Dio's on-site shoot.

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