Named after Mt. Penglai, home of the immortals in Chinese and Japanese mythology, Penglai Short-Grain Rice 蓬萊米 is the quintessential style of everyday Taiwanese rice served at home and in restaurants across Taiwan.
This short-grain rice of the japonica variety was developed during the Japanese colonial period to cater to Japanese tastes for stickier shorter grains, as opposed to the long grain rice that dominated Taiwan at the time.
Bred to thrive in Taiwan's hot and humid climate, penglai is plump, moist, and Q (al dente). The cultivar we import, Taoyuan No. 3—grown by farmer Chen Shih-Hsien in Dayuan District, Taoyuan—is renowned for its light taro-like aroma.
It can absorb saucy braises, pair well with salty stir-fries, or retain shape as onigiri.
This product is part of the Island of Dao: Taiwanese Rice Collection, a set of three single-origin Taiwanese rices grown by three smallholder farmers across the island, curated by Siang kháu Lū, a Taiwanese cultural kitchen and educational center promoting Taiwanese rice foodways.
Check out the rest of the collection:
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
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.
Ingredients and Instructions
Penglai rice (Taoyuan No. 3)
Net Weight: 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.
