Pingtung Steamed Ba-Wan 屏东肉圆
Pingtung Steamed Ba-Wan is featured among the local specialties of Taiwan.
Pingtung Steamed Ba-Wan (屏东肉圆) are pork-filled dumplings named for Pingtung (屏东). Their rice-and-starch wrappers are cooked in a steamer and served with a sweet-savoury sauce.
How it is made
The filling starts with raw pork mixed with seasonings. A slurry of zailai rice (在来米) and sweet potato starch forms the wrapper, which is shaped into a round dumpling around the filling. The dumplings then go into a steaming basket to cook through.
The method differs from the Changhua (彰化) version, which is first steamed to set its shape and then fried for serving. Pingtung dumplings are finished with sauce after steaming.
How it is eaten
An associated Pingtung custom extends the meal beyond the dumpling itself: diners add clear soup to the sauce and pieces of meat left in the bowl and drink the mixture.
Sources & reading
Written from the linked sources and fact-checked against them on 2026-09-26. Recipes and servings vary between kitchens.