Cifantuan

What is it

Warm sticky rice wrapped around fried dough and savoury or sweet fillings.

At the table

How to eat it

Eat it with your hands through the wrapper, pressing gently so the rice doesn't split and drop the fillings.

Culture

The story behind the dish

A layer of sticky rice is pressed around a fried dough stick, creating a portable breakfast with contrasting soft and crisp textures. In Shanghai it belongs to the breakfast foods often grouped with flatbread, fried dough and soy milk. Savoury rolls may include pickled vegetables and pork floss, while sweet versions use sugar, so the same name doesn't guarantee the same filling.

Reference

For reference

Every kitchen does it its own way. What follows is the typical version — ingredients, heat and price shift from city to city and from one restaurant to the next, so take it as a guide rather than a fixed recipe.

SpicinessNot spicy

Main ingredientGlutinous rice / Fried dough stick / Pickles or sweet filling

FlavourSavoury or sweet, chewy, crisp

ContainsGluten · Pork

Usually servedHot

Good forBreakfast

Where it is fromShanghai and the Jiangnan region

Ordering tipSay “xián de” (咸的) for savoury or “tián de” (甜的) for sweet before the vendor assembles it. Ask what is inside if you avoid pork, since savoury versions often include pork floss.

If you have an allergy or something you can't eat, check with the staff before you order.

Last updated 2026-08-16

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