Hot Taro Balls with Beans and Lentils
by A Gan Yi Taro Ball in Jiufen, Taiwan
Jiufen, Taiwan is a popular day trip from Taipei. The charming former goldmining town located on the coast about an hour north of Taipei is now known for its narrow lantern-lit alleyways, teahouses, sea views, and nostalgic charm.
On the day I visited, however, it was cold and rainy, and I was desperate to find somewhere to get out of the rain and dry off. I made my way to A Gan Yi Taro Ball, a popular Michelin-recommended shop that sells bowls of traditional Taiwanese taro balls.
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| taro balls, beans, and lentils in a warm, sweet, red bean soup in Jiufen, Taiwan |
The popular shop, which has been open since the 1960s, serves just two dishes: taro balls served with hot red bean soup or chilled over shaved ice. If it had been warmer, I might have wanted to try the iced version, but warm taro balls sounded excellent on wet, chilly day.
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| sweet taro ball dessert in Jiufen |
The taro balls, which are all made in-house, are thick, chewy, and mildly sweet and are served in a warm sweet red bean soup alongside a number of different types of beans and lentils. Red bean might sound like an odd flavor for a dessert, but it's popular in Asian dishes. It has a subtle earthy sweetness that nicely complements the starchy taro balls.
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| bowls of hot taro ball soup being served in Jiufen, Taiwan |
As a dessert, it's not overpoweringly sweet, which I appreciate. The shop was warm, dry, and cozy, and after my snack I was feeling much better and ready to continue my adventure exploring Jiufen.
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| warming up inside A Gan Yi Taro Ball in Jiufen |
Location
A Gan Yi Taro Ball is located in Jiufen at No. 5號, Shuqi Rd, Ruifang District, New Taipei City, Taiwan 22448.
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| A Gan Yi Taro Ball in Jiufen, Taiwan |
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