Zhengpai Baitangguo: Kaohsiung's 60-Year Crispy & Chewy Fried Mochi Snack

"Zhengpai Baitangguo" (Authentic White Sugar Mochi) is not only one of Kaohsiung's most representative street snacks but also a shared memory for many locals who have enjoyed it since childhood. This simple yet delightful rice pastry, known for its perfect combination of a crispy exterior and a chewy, resilient interior, has remained popular in Taiwan's competitive snack industry for over six decades. It is even hailed as a 'century-old tradition' dessert that must be tried when visiting Kaohsiung.

Baitangguo (called pe̍h-thn̂g-kóe in Taiwanese Hokkien) traces its origins back to the Minnan region (Southern Fujian). Baitangguo is a traditional pastry made by kneading glutinous rice flour into a dough, rolling it into strips, deep-frying it, and then coating it while hot with white sugar or a mixture of white sugar and peanut powder. It is crispy outside and soft inside, carrying the aroma of glutinous rice, and is a common, affordable snack found in markets and night markets in Southern Taiwan. Folk tradition suggests that Baitangguo evolved from 'Tangguo' (sugar mochi) used during the Qixi Festival to worship the Weaver Girl (Qiniangma). Early versions were soft, boiled mochi, not fried, but later developed into the deep-fried version. Because it is coated with white granulated sugar, it gradually became known as 'Baitangguo' (White Sugar Mochi), becoming a beloved festive and afternoon snack for Southern Taiwanese people.

In times when resources were scarce, Baitangguo, due to its simple ingredients and satisfying texture, became a rare sweet treat enjoyed by common people. It symbolizes the joy of festivals and the sweetness of life, and also embodies the Taiwanese dietary culture centered around consuming rice products.

Zhengpai Baitangguo was founded in 1959, giving it a history spanning over 60 years. The founder insisted on using pure glutinous rice paste for preparation. Unlike other vendors, Zhengpai's Baitangguo is larger in volume, fried to an extremely crisp outer layer, yet the inside remains soft and stretchy, much like mochi. The tradition has now been passed down to the second and third generations. Although the stall has moved locations, the commitment to 'kneading, shaping, and frying upon order' has remained constant. It is called 'Zhengpai' (Authentic/Original Brand) precisely because of its dedication to traditional methods and stable quality. The vendors start preparing the glutinous rice dough early every morning, insisting on hand-kneading. The key to successful preparation lies in controlling the oil temperature and frying time, ensuring the rice strips expand perfectly in the oil to achieve that signature crispy outside, soft inside, and springy texture.

The Zhengpai Baitangguo pieces are noticeably 'plumper' and thicker than those found at typical stalls. The exterior is fried to a golden crisp, while the interior retains a soft, sticky, mochi-like elasticity, offering a rich rice aroma when bitten into. The Peanut flavor involves coating the freshly fried Baitangguo evenly with fine white sugar and peanut powder, making it the most popular and traditionally classic flavor. The Sesame flavor is dusted with sesame powder and white sugar, offering a more intense aroma, perfect for those who enjoy nutty flavors. Many customers purchase one of each—"Peanut + Sesame"—considering it the complete way to enjoy the snack. The stall also sells other fried snacks like radish cake (turnip cake), fried sweet potatoes, sweet potato puffs (Fan Shu Peng), and sesame balls (Zhi Ma Qiu). However, some of these items usually start appearing sequentially after 2:30 PM, so if you arrive right when they open, you might only be able to purchase the Baitangguo itself.

The next time you visit Kaohsiung's Lingya Ziqiang Night Market, don't miss this 60-year-old tradition, Zhengpai Baitangguo! Take a bite while it’s hot, and the crispy-chewy rice pastry coated in sweet peanut and sesame will instantly transport you back to childhood afternoons. Whether you walk from the MRT Sanduo Shopping District Station or share it with the whole family via scooter, this affordable, traditional snack is definitely a highly recommended local memory.

『Zhengpai Baitangguo』

Address：No. 41, Ziqiang 3rd Rd, Lingya District, Kaohsiung City
Hours： Daily 13:30~21:00 (Usually starts operating in the afternoon, until sold out. Early arrival is recommended)
Closed： Irregular
Transportation： Take the Kaohsiung MRT Red Line to R8 Sanduo Shopping District Station, exit 1 or 7, and walk for about 10–12 minutes (located near the intersection of Ziqiang 3rd Road and Siwei 4th Road). Alternatively, take Bus 100 to the “Lingya Market” stop and walk for about 3 minutes.