This festival is to pay respect to the patriotic poet, Qu Yuan. He was an important minister back in Chu Kingdom in ancient China. He had been known for his loyalty for the emperor of Chu, and loved his country greatly. However, His Majesty had not taken Qu Yuan's advice seriously, and he eventually got himself trapped and captured in a foreign land by his enemies, which then lead to his own death. Sad and angry at the corrupted, dying Kingdom, Qu Yuan tied himself to a big rock and threw himself into the River of Puo Luo. The people then made rice dumplings wrapped in bamboo leaves and threw them into the river. They believed this would stop the fish from eating Qu Yuan's body. Some would even row down stream in a boat, beating drums and shouting out loud in the hope to scare the fish away (it was believed that it is how the Dragon Boat event is related to the festival. Since then, the 5th day of the 5th month in the Chinese calendar has been set as Duan Wu Festival to remember the incident. (sources - www.knowingfood.com)
Nowadays, we can buy rice dumpling the whole year round. As for me, my family love the Rice dumpling which is not available in Singapore market, so I have to make it :D, I tried it so many times, watching from YouTube, but just can't get the perfect triangle. So yesterday I took up the lesson, just to learn how to wrap the dumpling.
Nyonya Glutinous Rice dumpling
2 kg glutinous rice /rice
3 Tbsp salt
250 ml oil
50-60 large screw pine leaves
Leaves :
Soak the screw pine leaves over night. Boil it with water, fully submerged. add in 1 tbsp salt, and 2 Tbsp oil, bring to boiling point. Rinse the leaves, and trim the other end of the leaves. Set aside.
Filling :
1.2 kg mince pork
50 g dried Chinese mushrooms (soak & cut into small cube, dried fried with dust of salt)
250 g preserved sugared winter melon (dice)
150 ml oil + 50 ml sesame oil
100 g garlic + 200 g shallots (finely chopped)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
2 Tbsp light soy sauce
2 Tbsp dark soy sauce
4 Tbsp sweet soy sauce
3 Tbsp roasted ground coriander seeds.
Method to prepare the rice:
1. soak the glutinous rice overnight or rice. Drain and leave it to dry
2. Heat up saucepan, pour in 250 ml oil, add in 400 ml water slowly and bring to boiling point, reduce to medium heat and add in salt , roasted ground coriander seeds n pepper.
3. Slowly add in glutinous rice or rice to the saucepan, Mix well and continue cooking over medium heat and simmer till rice almost dry.
4. Remove to a large bowl to cool.
Method to prepare filling:
1. heat up the saucepan, pour in 150 ml oil, add in finely chopped garlic and shallots, stir for 3 minutes,
2. Add in the mince pork, stir until the mince pork turn dry.
3. Add in salt, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, dried fried cube mushrooms, pepper, roasted ground coriander seeds, sugared winter melon, mix well,
4. add in Sesame oil
5. Remove to a large bowl to cool down.
Method to wrap the dumplings :
3 Tbsp roasted ground coriander seeds.
Method to prepare the rice:
1. soak the glutinous rice overnight or rice. Drain and leave it to dry
2. Heat up saucepan, pour in 250 ml oil, add in 400 ml water slowly and bring to boiling point, reduce to medium heat and add in salt , roasted ground coriander seeds n pepper.
3. Slowly add in glutinous rice or rice to the saucepan, Mix well and continue cooking over medium heat and simmer till rice almost dry.
4. Remove to a large bowl to cool.
Method to prepare filling:
1. heat up the saucepan, pour in 150 ml oil, add in finely chopped garlic and shallots, stir for 3 minutes,
2. Add in the mince pork, stir until the mince pork turn dry.
3. Add in salt, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, dried fried cube mushrooms, pepper, roasted ground coriander seeds, sugared winter melon, mix well,
4. add in Sesame oil
5. Remove to a large bowl to cool down.
Method to wrap the dumplings :
1. Take 1 board or 2 narrow screw pine leaves. Fold from the centre to form a cone. Take 1-2 tbsp of glutinous rice or rice and line the inside
2. Put 2 to 3 tbsp of filling over the rice and cover neatly with 2-3 tbsp glutinous rice.Fold leaf over and tie the dumpling tightly with string
3. Tie the dumplings in groups of 8 and boil in the pressure cooker for 30 minutes.
3. Tie the dumplings in groups of 8 and boil in the pressure cooker for 30 minutes.
4. to check whether the dumplings are cooked, unwrap one to see ifglutinous rice or rice is cooked and smooth.If it isn't continue boiling for another 10 minutes.
5. hang the dumplings to drip dry for 1 to 2 hours, thus preventing sogginess. 
