Introducing the Island of Dao: Taiwanese Rice Collection, a set of three single-origin Taiwanese rices grown by three smallholder farmers across the island.
Dao is the Mandarin word for rice plant, signifying not just the rice grains, but the entire plant and, in some contexts, the paddy itself. We chose not to translate dao to rice to preserve this original connotation.
Siang kháu Lū, a Taiwanese cultural kitchen and educational center promoting Taiwanese rice foodways, has pulled this collection together to represent one cultivar from each of the main varieties of rice cultivated in Taiwan: glutinous (sweet), indica (long grain), and japonica (short grain).
Learn more about each farmer below.
About Each Rice Type
Penglai Short-Grain Rice 蓬萊米: The quintessential everyday rice of Taiwan. We import the Taoyuan No. 3 cultivar of the short-grain japonica variety. It is plump, moist, and Q (al dente), notable for its taro-like aroma. These qualities make it perfect for absorbing saucy braises, pairing with salty stir-fries, or shaping into onigiri. Grown by farmer Chen Shih-Hsien in Taoyuan.
Zailai Long-Grain Rice 在來米: The go-to ingredient for rice-based foods like rice noodles and radish cakes. Of the indica family, the Tainong Indica No. 14 cultivar of zailai rice that we import has a high amylose content (a type of starch in rice) and a dry, robust quality that allow it to be easily processed into paste or flour while maintaining its delicate aroma. Grown by farmer Chuang Yu-Chih in Chiayi.
Purple Glutinous Rice 紫糯米: A healthful whole-grain sticky rice that can be enjoyed savory or sweet. Also known as purple or black sticky rice, this glutinous rice from the indica family offers the nutrient-rich makeup of brown rice, plus the antioxidant properties of anthocyanin (the same pigment that gives purple cabbage its hue). Its stickiness is ideal for turning into a wrapper for fan tuan (rice roll) or thickening sweet red bean porridge. Grown by farmer Lai Chin-Sung in Yilan.
Why Rice, Why Now?
For centuries, rice has nourished families, sustained livelihoods, connected communities around cultural customs, and even shaped the terrain of Taiwan. In recent decades, however, rice consumption has dropped over fifty percent, from an average of 90 kg of rice per person per year forty years ago, to just 43 kg in 2022.
This decline presents challenges to farming—one of the oldest ways of life. As the cost of land increases and demand for rice drops, farmers may be less willing to cultivate rice, resulting in the gradual loss of farmland and disrupting their connection to and stewardship of that land.
In this set, Siang kháu Lū turns to Taiwanese rice as a means of exploring the agricultural conditions in Chiayi, Yilan, and Taoyuan. Across these areas, they've witnessed the changes affecting Taiwan’s farming communities, heard the voices of Taiwanese farmers, and embraced the diversity of Taiwanese rice cuisine and culture.
Tasting Notes and Usage
Penglai Rice: moist, sticky, and Q, with the aroma of taro
Steam and enjoy as is—after all, it’s the rice most often seen on the Taiwanese table. Or, use for rice pancakes, fantuan 飯糰 (rice rolls) or onigiri, and fried rice.
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Zailai Rice: dry and robust texture with a delicate aroma reminiscent of basmati
Zailai rice is best suited as an ingredient in these recipes and is not intended to be eaten directly. Make silver needle rice noodles 米篩目 (which are delicious stir-fried), bawan crystal meatballs 肉圓, uann-kueh steamed rice bowl cake 碗粿, and radish cake.
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Purple Glutinous Rice: sticky, tacky with a nutty aroma
Soak the rice overnight before cooking. Make fantuan 飯糰 (rice rolls) and red bean porridge. Or, simply steam and enjoy directly.
Ingredients and Instructions
Penglai rice (Taoyuan No. 3)
Zailai rice (Tainong Indica No. 14)
Purple glutinous rice
Net Weight of Each Bag of Rice: 21.2 oz / 600 g
Refrigerate after opening. Best consumed within 6 months after opening.
About Siang kháu Lū
Located in a traditional san he yuan 三合院 residence in Taoyuan, Siang kháu Lū 雙口呂 is a family-run cultural kitchen that promotes the culinary heritage of Taiwan through kueh 粿 (rice cake) workshops, sharing the techniques and stories behind different rice traditions in Taiwan.
The name Siang Kháu Lū, which literally translates to "double entrance Lu," comes from the surname of co-founder Pei Yi's grandmother: Lü 呂. The character—two 口 connected by a path—symbolizes the connective intention of Siang Kháu Lū's founders. The archway leading into their cultural kitchen is a two-way entrance for guests to come in and partake in traditional rice delicacies, then take away with them a greater understanding of Taiwan's rice-based agriculture and cultural practices.
Specifications and Dimensions
Dimensions: 30.5 cm L x 17.8 cm W x 5.1 cm H / 12" L x 7" W x 2" H
Total Package Weight: 74.4 oz / 2109 g
