Kiâm-nn̄g-ko
| Alternative names | Savory sponge cake |
|---|---|
| Type | Cake |
| Course | Dessert |
| Place of origin | Taiwan |
| Main ingredients | flour, braised minced pork, shallots, and minced bamboo shoots |
Kiâm-nn̄g-ko (Chinese: 鹹蛋糕; Tongyong Pinyin: Sián dàn gāo) is a traditional Taiwanese savory sponge cake from Fengyuan District, Taichung.[1]
Like sponge cake, the dish is made by steaming, but with Taiwanese braised minced pork, shallots, and minced bamboo shoots sandwiched between two pieces of cake. Kiâm-nn̄g-ko first gained international attention after being introduced in the novel Taiwan Travelogue by Yang Shuang-zi after it won the 2026 International Booker Prize.[2][3][4]
The origin of the dish dates back to 1908 during the Japanese colonial era when the construction of Taiwan's North-South Railroad was completed. Prince Kan'in Kotohito, the younger brother of Emperor Meiji, attended the ceremony which took place in Taichū Prefecture (modern day Taichung). To welcome the prince, who had previously lived in Europe and particularly liked Western-style pastries, the officials commissioned a confectioner named Lī-tsuí (呂水) to prepare a cake.[5] Nevertheless, the kitchen had run out of sugar, so Lī-tsuí decided to use bah-sò (braised minced pork) instead. Prince Kan'in Kotohito praised highly of the cake after tasting it and awarded Lī-tsuí a large sum of money as a mark of his satisfaction. And the dessert eventually gained the status of a famous Taichung specialty.[6]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ↑ 賴文忠; 李柏萱 (2026-05-21). "楊双子獲國際大獎談台灣 揭台中隱藏美食2／台中「鹹蛋糕」伴手禮、必吃蜜豆冰 小說裡留存美味" (in Chinese (Taiwan)). Mirror Media. Retrieved September 21, 2026.
- ↑ "The International Booker Prize 2026". thebookerprizes.com. Archived from the original on 20 May 2026. Retrieved 19 May 2026.
- ↑ Marshall, Alex (19 May 2026). "International Booker Prize 2026: 'Taiwan Travelogue' is First Winner Originally Written in Mandarin". The New York Times. Retrieved 19 May 2026.
- ↑ "從「臺灣漫遊錄」鹹蛋糕到珍奶 法譯新書帶讀者吃進台灣歷史" (in Chinese (Taiwan)). Central News Agency (Taiwan). 2026-07-10. Retrieved September 21, 2026.
- ↑ "台中名產鹹蛋糕是什麼？由來為何？誰發明的？" (in Chinese (Taiwan)). Kids Media. 2024-08-22. Retrieved September 21, 2026.
- ↑ "讓日本皇族大喊「歐依西」的鹹蛋糕，發明契機竟是台灣老糕點師的急中生智？" (in Chinese (Taiwan)). The Storm Media. 2016-04-02. Retrieved September 21, 2026.
