Lukang residents value customs but are not bound by them. The traditional red turtle cakes used for worship and ancestral rites are white, while red ones need to be specially ordered (tsù-bûn, pre-ordered). To outlanders, the special "white red turtle cakes" are Lukang's daily flavor. Red turtle cakes sold elsewhere are entirely red, requiring the addition of coloring agents. In contrast, Lukang's red turtle cakes, emphasizing health, are white, albeit with a touch of red on top for auspicious symbolism.
The freshly baked red turtle cakes, made from freshly ground glutinous rice water and dehydrated cake essence, can withstand two rounds of cooking. The glutinous flour skin can be fried to a reddish-brown color, a Taiwanese-style hot dessert called "赤赤" (tshiah-tshiah), and three sweet filling flavors are steamed on bamboo leaves, enhancing the delightful fragrance of peanuts, sesame, and red beans.