While many Hongkongers are superficially aware of Dragon’s Boat Festival as a public holiday and boat racing event, far fewer understand how this day even came to be. The primordial custom is as follows: the great Romantic poet Qu Yuan of the Tang Dynasty threw himself in despair into the Miluo River, estranged from the court his poetic verse patriotically served to uphold. To save Qu Yuan’s body from being fed to the fishes, bundles of lotus-wrapped rice dumplings were thrown into the river – and from this, the long-standing tradition of Dragon Boat racing and dumpling eating burgeoned, a pillar of Chinese celebration.
In modern times, craft and thought go into building a recipe for the satiating sticky rice dumpling. Although slow-cooked pork belly, salted egg yolk and dried seafood make its foundation, Hong Kong’s most innovative Chinese restaurants have played on the original recipe, offering some of the finest fares for Dragon’s Boat Festival.
The Legacy House, Rosewood Hong Kong
Prepared fresh daily by Chinese Executive Chef Li Chi-Wai and his team, The Legacy House’s rice dumplings are meticulously crafted by softening the glutinous rice in alkaline water followed by a seven-hour soft-boil. Housed in an eco-friendly gift basket, the limited-edition offerings are ones not to be missed if you love traditional Cantonese fare. Sweet tooths can opt for their rice dumpling stuffed with whole chestnut and lotus seed, while those with a savoury palette can opt for the Steamed Rice Dumpling with Abalone, Pork & Mushroom filled with “eight treasures” ingredients, perfect for a colourful and auspicious celebration.
Level Five, Rosewood Hong Kong, 18 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui; rosewoodhotels.com
Chilli Fagara
Turn up the heat on your Dragon Boat Festival celebrations with Chilli Fagara’s chilli-infused rice dumplings! The traditional rice dish is lent a decadent, mouth-watering Ma La Tang kick with Sichuan cured meat, alongside Iberico pork, mixed beans and salted egg yolk. Upon a purchase of four dumplings or above, customers will receive a tangy Mandarin Tangerine Sauce to complement the spicy delights, handmade with aged sun-dried tangerine peels blended with Sichuan red chillies.
7 Old Bailey St., Central; chillifagara.com
Green Common
This one’s for our vegans and vegetarians: Green Common is celebrating Dragon Boat’s Festival by bringing back their signature OmniPork Strip Rice Dumpling with Porcini & Vegan Salted Egg and OmniPork Rice Dumpling with Quinoa! Both variations are entirely locally crafted with plant-based ingredients, notably OmniPork and an antioxidant-rich salted duck egg yolk made with pumpkin. Compared to their traditional counterparts, Green Common’s rice dumplings are 85% lower in saturated fat, offering a lighter, healthier option that does not sacrifice flavour.
Nexxus Building, Shop G01 & 101, 77 Des Voeux Road Central; greencommon.com
Spring Moon, The Peninsula Hong Kong
Looking for some variety in your rice dumplings? Head on to Spring Moon for an array of offerings that stay true to traditional Chinese fare. Four dumpling variations are available this year, namely the Premium Glutinous Rice Dumpling, Deluxe Glutinous Rice Dumpling, “Golden Twins” Glutinous Rice Dumplings, as well as the Supreme Glutinous Rice Dumpling Gift Set with XO Chilli Sauce. The Michelin-star restaurant has also debuted two new condiments in time for the festival – the Sichuan Chilli Sauce and Chiu Chow Chilli Sauce – for those who would like to add an extra kick of heat and umami to their bite this year.
1/F, The Peninsula Hong Kong, Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui; peninsula.com
Yat Tung Heen, Eaton Hong Kong
Yat Tung Heen’s rice dumpling offering this year celebrates food, tradition and art. Its classic Deluxe Whole Abalone Rice Dumpling and new OmniPork Vegetarian Rice Dumpling will come in eco-friendly packaging characterised by abstract natural landscape imagery from Chinese shan shui paintings, making for a scrumptious and sustainable gift for your loved ones this Dragon Boat’s Festival.
Editor
Rachelle Ma and Kaitlyn LaiCredit
Featured Image: Rosewood Hong Kong
