Guilin Lipu Taro Puree

Guilin Lipu Taro Puree is a heart-warming dessert in northern Guilin during autumn and winter, made from "China's top taro" — Lipu taro. Steamed and peeled, the taro is mashed into a 细腻 (xìnì, smooth) paste with a wooden mallet, then stir-fried repeatedly with sugar and lard until shiny and silky. Lipu taro's natural powdery sweetness makes the mashed taro melt in the mouth, with lard's richness balancing sugar's sweetness, leaving a subtle taro aftertaste. Traditionally, it's topped with melon seeds, raisins, or osmanthus petals for extra texture. Though simple-looking, it requires precise heat control — under-stirring leaves it loose, over-stirring makes it bitter. In Guilin's old dessert shops, a hot bowl of Lipu Taro Puree is often served after meals. Foreign visitors are amazed by its cream-like texture, perfect with strong tea to cut richness, experiencing the sweet flavors Guilin creates from local ingredients.