The story goes that the origin of the Dragon Boat Festival, which falls on June 25 this year, has its roots in China’s Warring States Period. Patriotic poet Qu Yuan had advised the Chu emperor to form a strategic alliance with the state of Qi against the state of Qin but was exiled for his perceived disloyalty. When the state of Chu fell, Qu Yuan drowned himself in the Miluo River on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month.
The local people raced out in their boats to search for him and dropped rice dumplings into the river so the fish would not feast on his body, giving rise to the traditions of Dragon Boat racing and the eating of rice dumplings.
Dragon Boat Festival may be a little more muted this year without the boisterous family gatherings or exhilarating races, but restaurants and hotels are still pulling out all the stops when it comes to rice dumplings for delivery and takeaway.
Here are some of this year’s creations by MICHELIN-recommended restaurants and hotels, from luxurious spins on classic combinations to quirky flavours and modern renditions.
Jade at The Fullerton Hotel Singapore offers well-loved signatures like the traditional Glutinous Rice Dumpling with Five-Spice Pork, Traditional Hong Kong Style Abalone Treasure Glutinous Rice Dumpling as well as more novel flavours such as the Fermented Red Yeast Glutinous Rice Dumpling. Known for his creative meat-free cuisine, chef Leong Chee Yeng has also created the Vegetarian Five-Grain Glutinous Rice Dumpling with Organic Millet and Omnipork which pairs fragrant spiced rice with wholesome grains, mushrooms and plant-based meat Omnipork.
Click here to order. Delivery is free for orders above $100.
Luxe Cantonese creations at Hua Ting
Hua Ting Restaurant puts a luxe spin on the taste of Cantonese tradition with its Hong Kong Style Rice Dumpling With Abalone, Roasted Duck, Pork Belly, Dried Scallops and flavourful Rice Dumpling With Pork Bone Cartilage And Homemade X.O. Sauce. Rich in calcium and collagen, the pork bone cartilage is infused with the restaurants special homemade X.O. sauce.
Click here to order.
Funky new flavours at Man Fu Yuan
Available for takeaway and delivery at InterContinental Singapore’s lauded Chinese restaurant are six varieties of rice dumplings including funky new flavours like Kimchi Five-grain and Roasted Smoked Duck Wild Rice, as well as sweet renditions such as Black Sesame and Red Bean Lye Rice Dumpling. Traditionalists can opt for Man Fu Yuan’s perennial favourites: the Signature X.O. Sauce Nyonya Rice Dumpling and Signature Braised Pork Belly Rice Dumpling.
Click here to order.
Modern renditions for the adventurous at Shang Palace
Mix up your favourites from Shang Palace with innovative new flavours like the Black Truffle And French Organic Chicken With Buddha Jumps Over The Wall Rice Dumpling and the Sweetened Purple Glutinous Rice Dumpling With Custard. The dumplings can be ordered frozen or steamed and ready to eat with island-wide delivery for a flat fee of $20.
Click here to order. Frozen dumplings are also available for delivery via GrabFood.
Something loved and something new at Pan Pacific Singapore
The signature Jumbo Rice Dumpling from Cantonese restaurant Hai Tien Lo in MICHELIN-listed hotel Pan Pacific Singapore is back this year, chock full of premium ingredients like succulent pork belly, Japanese mushrooms, dried scallops, salted egg yolk, chestnuts, green beans and lotus seeds. But if you’re in the mood for something new and nutritious, the Grain Dumpling With Cordyceps Flowers is an original flavour with green beans, black sesame, barley, corn and peanuts infused with the fragrance of sweet Cordyceps.
Click here to order. Delivery is free for orders above $100 in a single receipt.
Modern Cantonese twist at Madame Fan
The innovative folks at modern Cantonese restaurant Madame Fan have come up with three novel dumpling flavours generously packed with premium ingredients like truffle and morels. The Truffle Rice Dumpling is the classic Cantonese combination of pork belly, dried scallop, salted egg yolk, mushroom and chestnut, accentuated with black truffle slices. The Jasmine Smoked Pork Belly Rice Dumpling is a riff of the restaurant’s signature Jasmine Smoked Pork Ribs, while the Morel Mushroom Rice Dumpling is a vegetarian option packed with precious morels and sweet pumpkin.
Click here to order. Delivery is free for orders above $100.
Sweet and savoury at 藝yì by Jereme Leung
Over at MICHELIN-listed Raffles Hotel Singapore, 藝yì by Jereme Leung celebrates its first Dragon Boat Festival with three standout dumplings. The savoury ones, Buddha Jumps over the Wall Rice Dumpling and Traditional Savoury Rice Dumpling are headily suffused with Japanese dried scallops and Sakura Ebi, while containing elevated treasures such as abalone and sea cucumber in the former. For a special treat, the rare Specialty Yunnan Rose Red Bean Dumpling is a jelly-like glutinous rice and rose petal dumpling encasing handmade red bean paste, with mild and nutty Phoenix Eye to complement.
Order here. Till 30 June.
