Sticky Rice Dumpling Festival 端午节

今天是农历五月初五， 是端午节。您吃粽子了吗？

It is Lunar 5th May today & it's thus Sticky Rice Dumpling Festival.  Have you eaten any rice dumpling yet?

There are quite a few explanations for this festival (see link here) but the most popular one has to be the story of Qu Yuan's death (屈原投身汨罗江).

I like rice dumpling but will not buy it to consume this season because prices have inflated exponentially because of the demand (just like any festive goods).  But my blogger friend (Jing) has kindly organised a rice dumpling wrapping session which I can't resist wrapping eating.  So about 6 of us, blogger mums, went on 26th May (Mon).

Look at the spread!  These are the ingredients to wrap Cantonese-style sticky rice dumpling.
(Sticky rice, dried shrimp, mushroom, chestnuts, pork with fats, beans, salty egg yolk)

Pardon the unglam-ness, we the mums were learning hard how to wrap & tie.

Beside having a hands-on (well, sort of) myself, I have also engaged AJ in this activity in another session!

I signed up for the sticky rice dumpling wrapping session with Rediffusion & AJ got to learn how to wrap a Nonya-style rice dumpling.  The ingredients used are different from the Cantonese-style.  Nonya-style rice dumpling is sweeter, but less fats as lean meat is used instead.

Fried lean meat with winter melon (in replacement of fats) with spices & sticky rice

Wrapped!  All ready to learn how to tie it!

Co-owner of Kim Choo shop (that sells rice dumpling) patiently teaching AJ how to tie the dumpling

AJ had a fun time learning how to wrap rice dumpling, & enjoyed eating the yummy dumpling from Kim Choo as well.  Most importantly, he learned some traditional rituals that we are trying to keep.  We are not religious about the Chinese traditions, but, for knowledge wise, we believe it is always good to know.

You may watch Eeva on Air show on this topic here.