Kudzu Starch Balls 葛粉圆子

Kudzu Starch Balls (葛粉圆子) are a snack of the Huizhou (徽州) mountain area of southern Anhui, made from the starch of kudzu root. The Ministry of Culture and Tourism lists them among the recommended foods on its 'ink-wash Jiangnan' touring route, whose sights include Huangshan (黄山) and the villages of Hongcun (宏村) and Xidi (西递).

Ingredients

Kudzu root has long grown in abundance in the Huizhou hills. It is sweet and is regarded as cooling in nature. The starch is obtained by pressing and washing the root, and is known locally as gefen (葛粉) or shanfen (山粉), 'mountain starch'. Households across Huizhou have traditionally used it to make snacks and sweet dishes, and these balls are one of them.

Flavour and texture

A Xinhua photo caption carried by People's Daily Online describes the balls as soft yet springy with some bite, fragrant and sweet.

How it is eaten

The same caption calls them a traditional Hui cuisine (徽菜) dish and a favourite on the New Year's Eve dinner table in traditional Huizhou families. Anhui News also describes the balls as a snack of Shitai County (石台县) in Chizhou (池州), and the ministry's touring route through Chizhou recommends 'Shitai kudzu starch balls'.