Bar-shaped rice cakes 条头糕
Bar-shaped rice cakes is featured among the local specialties of Shanghai.
Soft glutinous-rice bars usually surround a sweet bean filling. A small piece makes a chewy companion to plain tea.
How it is made
Glutinous-rice dough is shaped into slender bars, commonly around sweet bean paste, and cooked until soft. Some versions carry a light osmanthus fragrance or finishing syrup.
Flavour & texture
The wrapper is chewy and supple, contrasting with the smoother, denser filling. Its sweetness and sticky texture make a small piece quite satisfying.
Local roots & traditions
Tiaotougao belongs to Shanghai's traditional rice-cake and sweet-snack selection, often sold from neighborhood cake counters.
How to order Bar-shaped rice cakes
Choose a fresh piece and pair it with unsweetened tea rather than another rich dessert.
More dishes to compare
Explore related local specialties and compare their names, preparation notes and ordering guidance.
Chongming rice cake 崇明糕 →
Rice flour is moistened, layered with additions such as dates, beans or nuts and steamed into a thick cake. The rice-flour mixture and fillings determine how soft or firm the slice becomes. It is substantial and gently sweet, with a grainy-tender crumb rather than the stretch of pure sticky-rice dough. Added fruit gives concentrated sweet pockets.
Eight-treasure sticky rice 八宝饭 →
Sticky rice is steamed with a sweet filling, often bean paste, and arranged with dried fruit or nuts before being turned onto a serving plate. Additional syrup or fat may enrich the rice. The dessert is dense, glossy and chewy, with concentrated sweetness and contrasting bits of fruit or nuts.
Questions before you order
What name should I show when ordering?
Show 条头糕 for Bar-shaped rice cakes. Choose a fresh piece and pair it with unsweetened tea rather than another rich dessert.
Sources & reading
Recipes and servings vary between kitchens.