10 new rice dumplings to try this year, including Ondeh Ondeh & Black Pepper Crab

The Dragon Boat Festival (duan wu jie) falls on June 10, when it’s tradition to indulge in a rice dumpling or three to honour the legend of Chinese poet Qu Yuan. The story goes that the poet and elder statesman of ancient China cast himself into the depths of a river following the turmoil caused by corruption in his beloved homeland. In turn, his distraught supporters tossed rice dumplings into the water and beat drums to divert scavengers from his body. We love honouring a good tradition, especially one as delicious as this. In that spirit, here’s a selection of new rice dumplings to indulge in.

Black Pepper Crab Rice Dumplings from Min Jiang

Black pepper crab gets its dumpling rendition ($32 per pair) this year thanks to the dim sum chefs at Min Jiang Dempsey and Goodwood Park Hotel. Each parcel comprises beautifully steamed glutinous rice mottled with the spicy crab meat. There’s also the Pork Belly with ‘Mui Choy’ Rice Dumplings ($20 per pair), chock full of preserved mustard greens that give it loads of piquant flavour.

London Duck Rice Dumpling from Golden Peony 

Roast duck lovers will want to take a bite of Golden Peony’s Signature London Duck Rice Dumplings ($36.80), stuffed with said duck — renowned for its flavourful meat and higher fat ratio—bean curd sticks, chestnuts and lotus seeds. 

Also new to the line-up is the Multigrain Rice with Kimchi Sauce Rice Dumpling (pictured above, $24.80) and the interesting Mango Sticky Rice Dumpling ($24.80), complete with a serving of sweetened coconut milk to drizzle over.

Fish Maw Pork Knuckle Rice Dumpling from Shang Palace

The Sweetened Purple Rice Dumpling with Custard is also new to this year’s line-up ($22.90, 280g). Made with purple sweet potatoes, the oozy custard is wrapped in a thin layer of chewy mochi before it is encased in a mix of black and white glutinous rice.

Pandan Gula Melaka with Shredded Coconut and Quinoa Glutinous Rice Dumpling from Wan Hao Chinese Restaurant

Its savoury counterpart is the Crab Meat with XO Conpoy Sauce Rice Dumpling ($28), which sees meaty chunks of Sri Lankan crab meat spiced with a house-made XO sauce.

Moutai Pork Dumplings with Chinese Ham and Mushrooms from Jade

If you love moutai, the Chinese fermented sorghum liquor, you’ll love Jade’s latest Moutai Pork and Dried Scallop Rice Dumpling with Chinese Ham and Mushrooms ($24). As its name implies, the chunks of pork belly are marinated with moutai over 48 hours, so they take on the liquor’s heady and mildly smoky flavour. Dried scallops, salted egg yolk and red rice wine lees give it an extra umami kick.

Nonya-style Rice Dumpling with Plant-based Meat from Man Fu Yuan

Now you can be vegan and eat your nonya zhang, too, thanks to this new addition to Man Fu Yuan’s rice dumpling repertoire. The Nonya-style Rice Dumping with Plant-Based Meat ($23.90) comes with all the classic ingredients, including candied winter melon and shiitake mushrooms, but with plant-based meat instead of traditional pork. For those not watching their meat intake, there’s a proper Nonya-style Rice Dumpling with X.O. sauce ($23.90).

Pulut Hitam Nyonya Rice Dumpling from Hai Tien Lo

For a twist on traditional Nonya zhang, check out Hai Tien Lo’s black glutinous rice version, filled with a mix of black and white glutinous rice wrapped around the traditional filling of coriander seed-infused pork, candied winter melon and mushrooms.
 

Source: CNA/mm

The original version of this story first appeared in CNA.

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