Pig blood cake is a traditional snack made from pig's blood and glutinous rice, with many ways to enjoy it.

Pig blood cake is a traditional food made mainly from pig's blood and glutinous rice. It is very common in Taiwan, China and the Minnan region, and is one of the signature snacks of night markets and street stalls. It appears dark red to blackish brown, and when cut open the rice grains are evenly distributed throughout; the texture is soft and sticky with a bit of springiness, and the flavor is distinctive.

In making it, fresh pig's blood is generally mixed evenly with soaked glutinous rice, packed into molds and steamed until it sets, then cut into blocks and sold after cooling. Recipes vary slightly from place to place; some use pure glutinous rice, while others blend in some white rice, so the firmness and stickiness of the finished product differ, which is why it is also often called rice blood cake.

As for how to eat it, the most classic way in Taiwan, China is to dip steamed hot blocks of pig blood cake in peanut powder and sprinkle on cilantro, giving a savory, fragrant, soft and sticky bite; it can also be cut into pieces and boiled in soup, cooked in hot pot, deep-fried, or stir-fried with pickled mustard greens, making for quite a variety of preparations. From a nutritional standpoint, pig's blood contains minerals such as iron, but it is also relatively high in cholesterol, so it is best enjoyed in moderation.

Because it uses pig's blood as an ingredient, pig blood cake often makes first-time visitors from elsewhere curious, and it has even been included on some foreign media lists of strange foods, but in the eyes of its fans it is precisely a nostalgic, rustic-tasting old-school delicacy.

When buying and eating it, it is advisable to choose reputable products from reliable sanitary conditions with intact packaging, pay attention to the production information, keep them refrigerated after purchase and eat them as soon as possible, and be sure to heat them thoroughly before eating. If an off odor appears or the surface becomes sticky, it should no longer be eaten, so as not to affect your health.