A different kind of density
Fan tuan, sold at Taiwanese breakfast stalls, looks similar to Japanese onigiri.
The idea behind it is different.
The main difference is the rice.
Japanese onigiri uses non-glutinous rice.
Fan tuan uses glutinous rice.
Glutinous rice is sticky and holds its shape even when cool.
As a result, fan tuan has clear properties.
It does not fall apart midway.
It can be eaten with one hand.
It keeps hunger away for an unusually long time.
This is not a food for pleasure.
It developed as a portable ration for people who work.
A layered structure inside
The quality of fan tuan is not decided by luxury ingredients.
It depends on how the inside is structured.
The outer layer
Hot glutinous rice.
White rice is common, but purple rice is now widely used.
Purple rice adds a grainy texture and is often chosen by health-conscious customers.
The spine
At the center sits youtiao, fried dough.
Unlike the kind soaked in savory soy milk, the version for fan tuan is often double-fried.
It stays dry and hard, giving the roll its backbone.
The buffer
Pork floss.
Light, sweet strands fill the gaps between rice and dough, spreading oil and flavor evenly.
The accent
Pickled radish or mustard greens.
Their crunch and salt create an exit, allowing the heavy rice to be eaten to the end.
Shaping with cloth and plastic
Making fan tuan is where technique becomes visible.
The process is simple.
A damp cloth, sometimes a towel, is laid down.
A plastic bag is placed on top.
Rice is spread, ingredients lined up in a straight row.
Everything is wrapped at once, then twisted at both ends.
This produces a dense form.
The filling does not shift.
Heat stays inside.
Even after an hour, the center remains warm.
It is designed to be eaten while commuting or moving.
Rules of customization
Fan tuan usually comes with everything inside.
Still, there are a few choices to make.
Rice
White or purple.
White for stickiness, purple for lightness and texture.
Some shops allow a half-and-half mix.
Egg
The default is a braised egg.
Some stalls offer a scallion omelet instead.
Spice
Asking for chili adds oil or pepper inside.
It cannot be seen from the outside, but it builds gradually as you eat.
Fan tuan as a complete unit
Inside one roll are compressed elements.
Carbohydrates from rice.
Fat from fried dough.
Protein from pork floss and egg.
Fiber from pickles.
This is not a good breakfast.
It is a breakfast that makes the morning work.
Even without time for soy milk.
Even without sitting down.
One roll is enough to reach noon.
