Shaved Ice

Shaved ice desserts (bàobīng) are a summer institution across southern China, Taiwan and Hong Kong, with regional variations differing significantly in style. The southern Chinese version uses a rotary ice shaver to produce fine, fluffy ice that mounds above the bowl, topped with combinations of cooked red beans, grass jelly (xiāncǎo), taro balls, mango cubes, lychee, water chestnut jelly and condensed milk. The Taiwanese variant (bàobīng) uses shaved flavoured ices (strawberry milk, peanut) as the base rather than plain ice. The Hakka version around Meizhou and Fujian adds a black sesame or peanut paste. Unlike Western shaved ice (often soaked in syrup), the Chinese versions balance multiple textures — chewy, gelatinous, fruity and creamy — rather than relying on a single sweet syrup. Most enjoyable when the ice is fine enough to melt as it contacts the mouth.