Polarizing Taichung classic reimagined as jelly dessert loved by young and old

Polarizing Taichung classic reimagined as jelly dessert loved by young and old

2026-07-06

Jute shoot, a specialty crop of Taichung, used to be a local favorite. Older generations loved to eat it in a soup with sweet potato, but young people these days can’t stand its bitter flavor. In North and South districts, two separate tofu pudding shops had the idea to make the shoots into chewy jellies. It not only gets rid of the bitterness, but when paired with tofu pudding, even children love it. Let’s check it out!

Only people born and raised in Taichung can appreciate jute shoot soup, a summer favorite. Many others are put off by its bitter flavor. But now there are dessert shops that have found a way to make it into a jelly.

It has a color like matcha, and can be added to tofu pudding after cutting it into squares. But is it good?

Member of public
It’s new for me. It tastes like grass jelly. I think it makes jute shoots into something more palatable.

Jute shoots, or mayi, refer to the tender young shoots of the Corchorus capsularis plant. Harvest is in summer, making it perfect for cooling the body. This shop in North District decided to offer the shoots as a topping for tofu pudding because it’s a local specialty.

Ms. Kuo
Shop owner
We tried out 20 to 30 different recipes. It’s such a distinct ingredient, with a bitter and sticky quality to it.

Member of public
My kids all hate jute soup. But after having it as a jelly, they were more accepting of it.

Coincidentally, another tofu pudding shop in South District similarly wanted to bring Taichung’s local specialty to wider audiences.

Ms. Huang
Shop owner
I initially thought of adding dried whitebait as well, but was afraid people wouldn’t like it. Our Taichung tofu pudding has jute jelly and candied sweet potato.

Member of public
Jute shoots are delicious, but none of the friends I’ve shown around Taichung have wanted to try it. But now that you can get it as a dessert, we come all the time.

As summer continues on, eating jute jelly with icy tofu pudding is the perfect antidote to even the most sweltering Taichung afternoon.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

#juteshoots #mayi #jutejelly #tofupudding #douhua #Taichung #dessert #jelly

台中特產"麻薏"變QQ粉粿“苦味消失"大人小孩都愛

2026-07-06

台中限定特色食材麻薏，過去是老一輩的最愛，經常把麻薏和地瓜一起煮成麻薏湯，不過，很多年輕人無法接受它特有的苦澀味。在台中北區和南區，就有兩家豆花業者，不約而同，想到用麻薏做成QQ的粉粿，去除了苦味，搭配豆花一起吃，就連小孩也能接受！透過鏡頭一塊來看看！

在地台中人才懂吃的夏季限定美食，麻薏湯，很多外地人都吃不懂，就因為它有明顯的苦味。現在有甜品業者，突發奇想，把它拿來做成粉粿。

用麻薏做的粉粿，看起來就像抹茶的顏色，切塊以後就能加進豆花當配料。味道怎麼樣？

[[民眾]]
“蠻清新的，就是它有一個青草的味道，然後我就覺得是，會讓麻薏這個東西，變得比較可以被接受”

所謂麻薏是黃麻的嫩芽，盛產於夏季，消暑降火，這家開在台中北區的豆花店，老闆會將麻薏選為豆花配料，就是因為麻薏是台中特產。

[[業者郭小姐]]
“前後試了二、三十版(配方)，因為它(麻薏)是一個特別的食物，所以它會有點苦，會有點黏”

[[民眾]]
“我小孩子也是一樣，都是不能接受喝到麻薏湯，吃了這個麻薏粉粿，他們就會覺得說可以，接受度還蠻高的”

無獨有偶，台中南區，也有一家豆花店業者，也是老台中人，心心念念想著把台中在地食材發揚光大。

[[業者黃小姐]]
“其實本來也有想加吻仔魚進去，但是我怕接受度太低，台中豆花就是有麻薏粉粿，然後跟蜜地瓜”

[[民眾]]
“麻薏是蠻好吃的東西，可是大部分朋友我帶來台中，都沒有人要吃，麻薏做成甜點之後就很有趣，就蠻常過來”

炎炎夏日，麻薏做成粉粿，搭配冰涼豆花，清涼解暑、涼上加涼！

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I was wondering why it’s not open today. Are they normally off on this day of the week? Or did someone protest?

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- No one knows.
- I have no idea who reported them.
- Me neither.
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