Originally made by the Amis, one of Taiwan’s aboriginal nations, alivongvong is a traditional delicacy comprised of a sticky rice dumpling filled with meat, and the whole thing is carefully enclosed within a small, hand-crafted leaf basket.

Steamed white and black rice is usually used for the rice dumpling, while the typical filling contains pork, wild boar meat, or fish and mushrooms. The typical leaf choice are pandan leaves, which are skillfully fashioned into a small, free-standing basket.

The leaf basket is then steamed, a process which imparts a lovely pandan leaf fragrance and flavor to the dumpling. A type of zongzi, alivongvong, also known as alifengfeng, is often dubbed the Amis’ lunchbox due to its convenient transportability.

It is sometimes also referred to as the Amis lovers’ box meal as in the olden days it was a custom for the Amis women to pack their husbands’ meals in hand-woven leaf baskets. The dish reflects the traditional and naturalistic aspect of the Taiwanese Aboriginal cuisine and is available at night markets and eateries that offer aboriginal culinary specialties.