Madou District Office, Tainan City

1. Dabaiyou (Great White Pomelo)
Summary: Madou White Pomelos are not a result of deliberate selection, but a chance occurrence (a landrace species). The Great White Pomelo flowers at about the same time with Wundan Pomelo producing blossoms with strong fragrances as well as white and elongated petals. The resulting fruit is also about 3 times larger than the Wundan Pomelo and measuring 1.5 to 1.8 kg on average. The Great White Pomelo is best harvested during Shuangjiang (frost descent, a solar term typically between 23th October to 7th November). The fruit is succulent with a sweet taste complemented by a slightly sour and bitter undertone melded into a most enjoyable and delightful flavor. Although the Great White Pomelo would miss the midautumn festival, it still has a loyal and dedicated following. With harvesting season being later and longer than the Wundan Pomelo (Wundan Pomelo has a harvesting season lasting about 1 month, while the Great White Pomelo has a harvesting season that may last up to 3 months), the Great White Pomelo can be used to replace a number of Wundan Tourism Orchards in order to enjoy the extended period of time which would bring about economic and touristic benefits.

2. Avocad
Introduction: The avocado is a fruit native to the Americas and is extremely pop-ular in both the tropical and sub-tropical regions. The fruit was first introduced to Taiwan from California, USA. Despite the fact that Madou's climate is perfect for growing avocados, Taiwanese people have only recently opened up to the unique texture and flavor of the fruit. Hence, avocados should be regarded as a latecoming orchard species of Madou District. Visitors can often see avocado orchards and trees laden with fruits at the banks of Zengwun River. Avocado cultivars include the early-ripening, mid-ripening, and late-ripening type. Early-ripening fruits may be harvested every June to August, while mid- and late-ripening types can be harvested at August and October respectively. Eating avocados provides a feeling of full-ness. Thus, having avocados before meals will help suppress appetite for people on diets or keen on keeping their figures slim. Such features make avocados a most attractive fruit after the pomelos.

3. Wan-guei (steamed rice pudding in a bowl)
Introduction: Wan-guei in Taiwan was probably first prepared during the reign of Emperor Kangsi. In addition to being a daily staple, rice that had been stored for quite a while could be ground to a paste and steamed in a bowl to make Wan-guei, a salty rice pudding with var-ious ingredients. Good Wan-guei can only be prepared through meticulous selection of the rice, use of fine grinding as well as careful preparation and well-controlled steaming. Rice grains are first soaked in water and then ground to a paste, which is then flavored using some condiments. Mushrooms, egg yolk, meat, and other fillings are placed in a bowl and mixed with the flavored rice paste. This mixture is then steamed. The temperature and duration of the steaming process are also part of the secretive art of Wan-guei preparation. The steaming process and temperature determine the springiness and texture of the final Wan-guei. Madou's Wan-guei adheres to traditional methods and are made, prepared, and sold on-ly on the same day. Wan-guei is a most popular snack due to its affordable price, and those from Madou offer perfect stickiness, texture, and are easily digestible. Madou's Wan-guei contains ground meat, mushrooms, lean pork, egg yolk, and dried shrimp, and the steaming process produces a chewy and non-greasy dish that gives off a tantalising aroma. House ingredients and special flavoring completes this utterly irresistible gastronomic dish.

4. Guazih (Watermelon seed)
Summary: Madou's watermelon seeds are known for their nutritious contents. Several scientific selection and technical improvements resulted in the creation of Madou watermelon seeds which have 31.8% high quality protein content, 43% fats, and 16.5% carbohydrates. The seeds are also rich in calcium, phosphorus, iron, potassium, and various Vitamins, providing critical health values such as strengthening mental and physical health and enhancing memory power. Madou is also an important manufacturing and distribution center of watermelon seeds in southern Taiwan.

5. E-die
Introduction: E-die is a folk snack that originated during the late Cing dynasty, and was introduced by immigrants from Cuanjhou and Jhangjhou. There is an old store located in Madou Central Market established by Yang Ching (1902-1983) in the year that Taiwan was returned to Chinese rule. To date, this store has over 50 years of history. Prepa-rations for the E-die start with the batter. The batter is made using soybean flour, water, flavoring, and salt. The batter is then placed in the frying ladle. Various filling and oysters are then placed on the batter, which is then covered by another layer of batter. This is then fried until it assumes a golden yellow color bursting with the aroma of fresh oysters. E-die may be cut to small pieces, served on a plate, and eaten with ketchup or thick soy sauce. The fragrant E-die will invoke childhood memories for many residents of Madou. Visitors at Madou must give this snack a shot.

Summary list of delicious snacks in Madou District - Wan-guei

Summary list of delicious snacks in Madou District - Watermelon seeds