Taiwan Food Atlas

Pig Blood Cake (Zhu Xue Gao)

A dark glutinous rice cake thickly coated in peanut powder — the taste of youth in the Yizhong Street district
📍 Taichung · Yizhong Street, North District🌟 Collectible · Street food🔖 Pig blood cake / Peanut powder / Yizhong Street commercial district

Pig blood cake is a common Taiwanese night market snack made by pressing and steaming glutinous rice with pig blood, skewering it on a bamboo stick, dipping it in soy paste, rolling it thickly in peanut powder, and topping it with cilantro — thirty seconds later it's in your hand and ready to eat. The Yizhong Street area draws students from several of Taichung's high schools, and pig blood cake is one of the most down-to-earth youth snacks there, with the Taichung version carrying a noticeably thicker peanut powder coating than elsewhere.

The student-driven consumer culture of the Yizhong Street area traces back to 1968, when Taiwan's extension of compulsory education to nine years fueled demand for cram schools; the district expanded after a department store opened there in the 1980s, and a formal business association was established in 2005. According to Taiwan's Tourism Administration, the area drew 10.18 million visits in 2023, making it one of Taichung's densest student commercial districts and a reliable market for affordable snacks like pig blood cake.

What is Pig Blood Cake

Pig blood and steamed long-grain glutinous rice are mixed and compressed into rectangular cake blocks, cooled until set, then cut into segments — each segment fitted with a bamboo skewer. Before serving, the cake is dipped in a soy paste made with soy sauce and mirin, then rolled in a container of peanut powder until evenly and thickly coated. Cilantro or scallion is added at the customer's request. The Taichung version typically carries a thicker layer of peanut powder than elsewhere in Taiwan, with the peanut fragrance driving the overall flavor. The pig blood cake itself has a firm, chewy texture and a faint, sweet metallic note that is not at all off-putting.

The Yizhong Street commercial area takes its name from Taichung First Senior High School (Taichung No. 1 High School). The student population from several nearby high schools sustains the entire street's commercial ecosystem. Pig blood cake became a top after-school snack because of its low price, satisfying portion, and bold flavor. Most Taichung pig blood cake stalls are mobile or semi-fixed; Yizhong Street has a high concentration, occasionally with multiple stalls side by side. Each stall has slight differences in peanut powder grind and sauce sweetness, giving each a subtle identity of its own.

How to eat it the local way

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Go heavy on the peanut powderThe Taichung way is to get the peanut powder layered on thick. You can tell the vendor 'more peanut powder please' so that every bite has a pronounced peanut fragrance.
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Don't skip the cilantroThe bright freshness of cilantro balances the dense, substantial weight of the pig blood cake. Even if cilantro isn't your thing, try at least one bite — its combination with the peanut powder is surprisingly well-matched.
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The bamboo skewer techniquePig blood cake is skewered on a bamboo stick — eat from the top down. Don't bite through it all at once, which causes peanut powder to fall and makes a mess. Small, steady bites are the correct approach.
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Choose your chili levelSome stalls offer chili sauce for self-service application. Adding chili creates a contrast between the heat and the sweet peanut coating — this is the souped-up version favored by the Yizhong Street student crowd.

Local knowledge

Context

  • Yizhong Street commercial area is the most densely concentrated student consumer district in Taichung's North District. Multiple pig blood cake stalls operate there with high sales volume and strong category visibility.
  • The Taichung version of pig blood cake is notably thick in its peanut powder coating — a local style preference that differs markedly from versions in Taipei or southern Taiwan.
  • Pig blood cake is a common street food across the island; the Yizhong Street version represents a component of Taichung's youth food culture.

Things to know before you go

  • Pig blood cake is a steamed and heated product. Check stall hygiene and whether the cake is kept warm — avoid blocks that have been sitting unheated for a long time.
  • Peanut allergy warning: peanut powder is standard on pig blood cake. Those with allergies should inform the vendor directly or avoid it entirely.
  • Yizhong Street is very crowded on weekends and after school hours. Parking is difficult; taking a bus to the Yizhong Street stop and walking is the practical choice.

Source: field research in the Yizhong Street commercial area, North District, Taichung. Photos to be replaced with Dio's own images.

Frequently Asked Questions

How did the Yizhong Street district form?

It grew from the cram-school culture sparked by the 1968 extension of compulsory education to nine years, expanded after a department store opened in the 1980s, and got a formal business association in 2005.

How many visitors does Yizhong Street draw?

According to Taiwan's Tourism Administration, the district recorded 10.18 million visits in 2023, making it one of Taichung's most crowded commercial areas.

What should I watch out for when eating pig blood cake?

Peanut powder is standard, so those with peanut allergies should tell the vendor or avoid it; also check that the stall keeps the cake heated rather than sitting out for a long time.

Sources

🗺️ View on the map ← All Taichung dishes