Celebrate Dragon Boat Festival!

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Date: 2013 Dragon Boat Festival falls on Wednesday, June 12.

 

This year’s Dragon Boat Festival falls on June 12th, the 5th day of the 5th month according to Chinese lunar calendar. This festival has been held annually for more than 2,000 years and commemorates the suicide of statesman, Qu Yuan (340-278 BC). Legend has it this politician and poet committed suicide by drowning because he was distraught over the overthrow of the Chu royal household where he once served in high office. 

 

Qu Yuan was admired by the locals and according to legend, his supporters dropped sticky rice triangles so that the fish would not eat Qu Yuan’s body and eat the rice instead – this started the rongzi, sticky rice eating tradition during this period. To scare away the fish or to retrieve his body, people paddled out on boats and this became the tradition leading to the dragon boat races.

 

Rongzi are pyramid-shaped glutinous rice wrapped in reed or bamboo leaves. There are now a variety of options for shapes and fillings. In the northern part of the country, people favor the jujube (dark red fruit) as filling, while in the southern Chinese perfer sweet bean paste, fresh meat, or egg yolk. 

 

Asian Palate chooses 3 of our favourite places to buy rongzi – Hotel Intercontinental, Four Seasons and Shangri-la Hong Kong:

 

Hotel: Intercontinental HK - Yan Toh Heen (Hong Kong’s 1-Michelin star Cantonese restaurant)

 

Unique aspects: Homemade glutinous rice dumplings are made with healthy, quality ingredients. These innovative rice dumplings are made with ingredients like Wagyu beef cheek, porcini mushrooms and abalone. Healthy alternatives include delicious organic apple with black rice dumplings. 

 

Three Rice Dumplings:
Organic Apple with Black Glutinous Rice Dumpling
HK$128/piece

 

The Organic Apple with Black Glutinous Rice Dumplings are made from 100% organic ingredients. No additives or sugar, this dumpling contains essential nutrients including dietary fiber, protein, potassium, manganese, magnesium, niacin and iron.

 

Whole Abalone Glutinous Rice Dumpling
HK$248/piece

 

The Whole Abalone Glutinous Rice Dumpling is Yan Toh Heen’s signature dumpling using Chef Lau Yiu Fai’s traditional Cantonese recipe, with savoury ingredients such as lotus seeds, black mushrooms, roasted duck, salty egg yolk, pork as well as a whole top quality abalone. This is a delicious, filling dumpling that is a perfect snack for 2-3 people.

 

Wagyu Beef Cheek and Porcini Glutinous Rice Dumplin
HK$228/piece

 

The Wagyu Beef Cheek and Porcini Glutinous Rice Dumplings feature Australian Wagyu and Porcini from Yunnan Province in China. The beef and porcini are then mixed with the glutinous rice and wrapped in the lotus leaf to seal in the rich beef and mushroom flavours. 

 

Intercontinental HK Rice Dumplings

Hotel: Four Seasons HK - Lung King Heen (Hong Kong’s 3-Michelin star restaurant)

 

Unique aspects: Traditional home-made rice dumplings in limited quantities (800 pieces / type), using high quality ingredients.

 

Three Rice Dumplings:
Organic Glutinous Grain Rice Dumpling with Abalone and Conpoy with Chaoan Premium Oolong Tea
HKD268 per gift box

 

Glutinous Rice, peeled green pea, African abalone, dried scallop, roasted duck roasted pork belly, white lotus seed, lotus leaves, bamboo leaves, chestnut, dried mushroom, five grain rice

 

Sweet Organic Mixed Bean Rice Dumpling with Lotus Seed Paste, Sweet Organic Mixed bean Rice Dumpling with Taro Puree + Chaoan Premium Oolong Tea
HK$188 per gift box

 

Sweet Organic Mixed Bean Rice Dumpling with Lotus Seed Paste
Glutinous Rice, Osmanthus sugar, Red Kindey bean, peanut, black eyed peas, white lotus seed paste, bamboo leaves 

 

Sweet Organic Mixed bean Rice Dumpling with Taro Puree Glutinous Rice, Osmanthus sugar, Red Kindey bean, peanut, black eyed peas, taro, butter, bamboo leaves

 

Organic Glutinous Grain Rice Abalone and Conpoy Dumpling (resize)

Hotel: Shangri-La HK - Summer Palace (Hong Kong’s 2-Michelin star restaurant)

 

Unique aspects: Healthy, premium ingredients used for dumplings such as assorted wild mushrooms, abalone and bird’s nest. 

 

Three Rice Dumplings:
Glutinous rice dumpling with abalone
HK$258 each

 

Glutinous rice, mung beans, pork, abalone, lotus seeds, conpoy, mushrooms, salted egg yolk

 

Glutinous rice dumpling with sweetened red beans and bird’s nest
HK$258 each

 

Glutinous rice, red beans, bird’s nest

 

Purple glutinous rice dumpling with assorted wild mushroom
HK$138 each

 

Glutinous rice, purple glutinous rice, morel mushrooms, fried chicken mushrooms, mung beans, black-eyed beans, peanuts

 

Rice Dumplings  of Island Shangri-La

Jeannie Cho Lee MW recommends pairing sticky abalone rice dumplings with the full bodied, delicious 2008 Domaine de la Vougeraie Vougeot 1er Cru Le Clos de Vougeot Monopole Blanc. Click here to read detailed wine notes.