In an old stone house in Beigan's Banli Village, an auntie steams sweet potatoes until soft, mashes them, kneads them with sweet potato starch into a golden-yellow dough, and then wraps portions of peanut-sugar and sesame filling inside, pinching each one into the shape of a dumpling before sliding them into the oil. As they come out of the fryer, the skin is crisp, the sweet potato fragrance mingles with the peanut sweetness, and when you bite in a caramel-like peanut syrup flows out — these are the Sweet Potato Dumplings that Matsu people have been eating since childhood, also known as "Golden Dumplings."
What Are Sweet Potato Dumplings
Matsu Sweet Potato Dumplings use steamed and mashed sweet potato mixed with sweet potato starch to form the wrapper dough; the filling is peanut sugar powder and sesame (some versions also include red bean). They are shaped into dumplings and deep-fried until the skin is golden and crisp. The finished product has a crunchy, fragrant shell and a sweet filling; when bitten, the peanut sugar melts slightly from the heat, creating a runny-filling effect. Because of their full, golden appearance they are called "Golden Dumplings." A boiled version also exists, with a soft and chewy wrapper that carries the sweet potato's natural sweetness — a different kind of pleasure.
In Matsu's early years, sweet potato was a staple crop — on an island with limited arable land, sweet potatoes were drought-tolerant and reliably productive, making them critical for surviving food shortages. Sweet Potato Dumplings are the creative transformation of a staple into a dessert, carrying the culinary memory of island life. The Nangan Township Office's tourism information names Beigan's Qiaozi area as the traditional production area for Sweet Potato Dumplings; representative shops include Golden Sweet Potato Dumplings in Beigan's Banli stone house and Apo in Qiaozi — a Beigan dessert not to be missed.
How to Eat It Like a Local
Local Know-How
Verified Third-Party Endorsements (Sponsorship Filtered)
- The Nangan Township Office's tourism information names Beigan's Qiaozi area as the traditional production area for Sweet Potato Dumplings.
- The Golden Sweet Potato Dumpling shop in Beigan's Banli stone house is well known among tourists as a representative outlet, with the deep-fried version as its signature.
- Sweet Potato Dumplings carry the culinary memory of Matsu's early years, when sweet potato was the island's primary staple crop.
Visiting Tips
- The fried version is higher in calories and sugar; those managing diabetes or calorie intake should eat in moderation.
- Shops often sell out by mid-afternoon — arrive before noon.
- If you want to bring them back to the main island as a souvenir, choose the frozen-packaged version and consume promptly.
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.