Dragon Boat Festival – Recommendations for Dumplings 2012

Maureen
Maureen
June 14, 2012
Dragon Boat Festival (端午节) is a festival celebrated by many Chinese on the 5th day of the 5th month. It is said to commemorates the sacrifice of Qu Yuan, a legendary Chinese poet. Around 2000 years ago, he drowned himself in Mi Lo River to protest against the rulers and to stop corruption. As respect to the poet, people throw dumplings into the river to stop fish from feeding on the poet’s body. 
Dumplings  (粽子)  hence became a popular festive dish during the Dragon Boat Festival. They are made of glutinous rice stuffed with different fillings and wrapped in bamboo or reed leaves. This year, Dragon Boat Festival falls on 23 June 2012, Saturday.
This year, many hotels and restaurants have come up with very interesting dumplings. Here are some recommendations for you:

XO Sauce Nyonya Dumpling
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Man Fu Yuan
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Man Fu Yuan celebrates the traditional Dumpling Festival with a flavourful array of classic and premium rice dumplings, handcrafted and filled with the finest ingredients. Dim Sum Chef Simon Poon has created a new and exciting luxurious offering, Glutinous Rice Dumpling with Goose Web in Abalone Sauce (鲍汁鹅掌粽, $12.80) and Glutinous Rice Dumpling with Pig Trotters (南乳猪手粽, $12.80).
Returning again by popular demand is Man Fu Yuan’s signature XO Sauce Nyonya Dumpling (XO娘惹粽,$7.80).  All-time favourites, Traditional Pork Dumpling (咸肉炒米粽, $7.80) and Man Fu Yuan Jumbo Dumpling (满福苑裹蒸粽, $24.80) are also brought back.
Man Fu Yuan
Address: 80 Middle Road, 2F Intercontinental Hotel
Tel: 6825 1062 / 1008
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Shang Palace
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Master chef Steven Ng hopes to excites tastebuds with new combinations like the sea perch and fish roe rice dumpling ($18.80), barbecued chicken rice dumpling ($12.80), Eu Yan Sang organic vegetarian rice dumpling ($14.80) and red bean paste with ginseng rice dumpling ($12.80).
In every 10th dumpling, our chefs have hidden a secret token. Hunt for your fortune token to exchange for $20 dining voucher and stand the chance to win a lucky draw. The grand prize is a one-night stay in our newly renovated Garden Wing suite! Hurry, grab a Shang Palace dumpling to win vouchers and your free stay. Good luck!
Shang Palace
Address: Shangri-La Hotel, 22 Orange Grove Road
Tel: 6213 4473

  Rice Dumpling with Flavoured Pork (五香肉粽)

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Din Tai Fung

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This year, Din Tai Fung has introduced a fragrant and succulent Rice Dumpling with Flavoured Pork (五香肉粽, $5.50/piece at MBS & RWS; $5.30 per piece at all other outlets). Native to Hu Zhou, it comes in a unique pillow shape. Succulent pork belly (三层肉) is steeped in a secret homemade marinade for a minimum of two hours. The dumplings undergo an intensive cooking time spanning at least six hours which gives a chewy and extra smooth bite.
The popular Red Bean Rice Dumpling (豆沙粽, $5/piece at MBS & RWS. $4.80 per piece at all other outlets) is specially air-flown from Taiwan. Made using top grade Taiwan pearl rice, the dumplings hold a generous filling of the finest red bean paste which is rich in vitamin B and fibre.

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Goodwood Park
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Famous for their delectable durian delicacies, Goodwood Park’s Min Jiang and Min Jiang at One-North has came up with Steamed ‘kee zhang’ served with heavenly D24 durian dip. It costs $4.80 for 3 pieces. For takeaway, a minimum of 6 pieces is required. 
Fans of savoury dumplings will enjoy the Steamed glutinous rice dumpling with waxed meat ($4.80) – filled with favourites like Chinese sausage, waxed duck leg, pork liver and salted egg yolk. Another delicious treat is the Steamed giant glutinous rice dumpling ($15.80) with conpoy, five-spice pork, salted egg yolk, pork belly, mushrooms and chestnuts, suitable for 2 to 4 persons. 
Min Jiang 
Address: 22 Scotts Road, Goodwood Park Hotel 
Tel: 6730 1704 (Min Jiang), 6774 0122 (Min Jiang at One-North, 5 Rochester Park)
Amoy Style Dumpling

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Mandarin Orchard
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Executive Chinese Chef Sunny Kong has added 2 new drool-worthy flavours. The Abalone and Seafood Dumpling (五谷鲍鱼海中宝粽子,$48) is packed with rich goodness of abalone, dried scallop, dried oyster, dried shrimp, sea whelk and shiitake mushroom. Another new introduction is the Hong Kong-style Rice Dumpling (香港式裹蒸粽,$22) which offers meat lovers a perfect pairing of roasted duck, kurobuta pork, salted egg yolk, shiitake mushroom, chestnut, dried shrimp and lotus seed.
Back in demand is the Amoy-style Dumpling (厦门炒米粽,$8.80) which contains layers of pork belly, salted egg yolk, dried shrimp and shiitake mushroom. Also very popular is the XO Nyonya Dumpling (XO娘惹粽,$6.80) with a hint of spice containing XO sauce, nyonya sauce, roasted pork belly and dried shrimp.
Mandarin Orchard
Address: 333 Orchard Road
Tel: 6831 6262/66
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Szechuan Court
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Master Chef Sebastian Goh will offer four innovative bamboo-leaf wrapped dumplings weighing in at 1kg each! The Hong Kong-style dumpling ($42++) is packed in with ostrich meat, roasted pork belly, roast duck, stewed abalone, chestnuts and dried shrimps. Gong Bao chicken dumpling ($38++), made with succulent diced marinated chicken thigh meat stir-fried in chilli peppers and Szechuan peppercorns.
Stewed Pork Trotter Dumpling ($48) is slow cooked to succulent perfection, the pig trotter is infused with aromas and nutrients from traditional Chinese herbs. For the health-conscious, the Organic Brown Rice Vegetarian Dumpling ($38) is a guilt-free creation.
Szechuan Court
Address: 80 Bras Basah Road, Fairmont Singapore
Tel: 6431 6156
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Peach Blossom
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Peach Blossom’s Dim Sum Chef Kerene Cheng has created colorful crystal dessert dumplings, which took her more than four months to conceptualize and experiment, before she achieved the desired ‘bouncy’ texture and beautiful, translucent appearance. Mini Treasures Crystal dumplings (迷你五彩缤纷水晶粽,$28.80) come in a colourful pack of five, each a different flavour and of different textures and consistencies: Black Sesame dumpling with sweet rice filling, Lemongrass rice dumpling with mango, Peppermint rice dumpling, Dragon fruit dumpling and Japanese inspired yuzu dumpling with aloe vera.
For those who want more traditional offerings, have no fear: Peach Blossoms will still be selling its signature Traditional Rice Dumpling with Pork Belly, Conpoy, Mushroom, Salted Egg, Chestnut, Lotus Seed and Lentils (招牌传统裹蒸粽, $20.80); Traditional Pork Belly Dumpling (传统咸肉粽, $7.80); Vegetarian Rice Dumpling with Assorted Mushrooms (斋鲍鱼三菇粽, $6.80) and Sweet Rice Dumpling (枧水粽, $4.80).
Peach Blossoms
Address: Marina Mandarin, 6 Raffles Boulevard
Tel: 6845 1118
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Crystal Jade
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Just like Peach Blossoms, Crystal Jade offers sweet and savory dumplings as well. Savory ones include Red Brown Rice Dumpling (红糙米八宝肉粽, $5.20), Rice Dumpling With Pork And Spicy Shrimp Paste (香辣虾米肉粽, $4.50) and Red Bean Paste Dumpling (红豆沙咸水粽, $4). 
For sweet dumplings, there is Petite Cheese And Peach Cool Dumpling(一口芝士蜜桃青凉粽), Petite Black Glutinous Rice And Sago Cool Dumpling(一口黑糯米青凉粽) and Petite Sweetcorn Cool Dumpling(一口粟米青凉粽). 3 pieces cost $2.70 and 6 pieces cost $5.
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