10 Glutinous Rice Dumpling Flavours to Savour

Dragonboat Festival (also known as Dumpling Festival) falls on 2 June 2014 this year and until then, hotels and restaurants are dishing out tons of glutinous rice dumplings for your indulgence. We round up the best and newest flavours of the season, from savoury options like black garlic to sweeter and unconventional ones like birds nest and sweet custard. Hai Tien Lo | Traditional Cantonese Rice Dumpling

In conjunction with Dragon Boat Festival, award winning restaurant Hai Tien Lo presents a variety of five rice dumplings, with the Traditional Cantonese Rice Dumpling ($28.80, 4 – 5 pax) taking centre stage. The dumpling comprises dried oysters, pork belly, barbecued duck, egg yolk, lotus seed, as well as premium Thailand glutinous rice. Other notable flavours include the Chinese Herbal Salted Chicken Dumpling, which draws inspiration from the restaurant’s popular dish. Available till 2 June for dine in or takeaway from Hai Tien Lo + via online orders from www.pacificmarketplace.sg. For orders and enquiries, please call +65 6826 8240 or email celebrate.sin@panpacific.com. Cherry Garden | Black Garlic Glutinous Rice Dumpling

New to the selection of gourmet dumplings at Mandarin Oriental this year is the fragrant and savoury Black Garlic Glutinous Rice Dumpling ($18 per piece). The unique dumpling is stuffed with succulent kurobuta pork belly, black garlic and a touch of bamboo charcoal powder to complement the exisiting sweet and salty notes. Go gold if you would, with the return of Cherry Garden's signature Golden Pearl Dumpling ($28 per piece), packed with premium ingredients like slow-braised mini abalone and dried scallops. Available for dine in or takeaway until 2 June. For reservations or enquiries, please email mosin-dining@mohg.com or call 6885 3500. Peach Blossoms | Hong Kong Style Rice Dumpling

Specially crafted for the occasion at Peach Blossoms, the Hong Kong style dumpling ($20.80+ per piece) comes shaped after an antique Chinese pillow – twice the size of the usual pyramid-shaped ones and is great pick for sharing. The hearty dumpling bounds together ingredients such as pork belly, salted egg, conpoy, mushrooms, chestnuts, lotus seeds and lentils. To those who prefer Nyonya rice dumplings ($12.80+ per piece), the ones here come with a refreshing twist of sweetened winter melon and pork belly in the mix. Available for dine in and takeaway until 2 June. Advanced order of 3 working days is required. For enquiries or orders, please call 6845 1118 or email peachblossoms.marina@meritushotels.com. Royal Pavilion | “Lao Gan Tie” Mushroom Dried Shrimp Dumpling

As featured in April’s New Bites, new Cantonese restaurant Royal Pavilion joins the parade of luxurious dumpling creations, debuting an original “Lao Gan Tie” Mushroom Dried Shrimp Dumpling ($9.80+) made from their house special “lao gan tie” sauce. Perfect for spice-loving foodies, it harmonizes together the flavours of chilli, onion, garlic, anchovies, dried scallop and dried prawns. We recommend boosting it up a notch with even more of the chef-special “Lao Gan Tie” chilli sauce that’s available for purchase at the restaurant for $18.80 a bottle. Available until 2 June. For enquiries, please call 6818 8851. Yan Ting | Glutinous Rice Dumpling with Abalone and Golden Dried Scallops

More luxurious of the lot is the Glutinous Rice Dumpling with Abalone and Golden Dried Scallops ($25.80+) from the award-winning Cantonese restaurant Yan Ting. Share with your loved ones this aromatic dumpling abundant with quality ingredients like South African abalone, dried scallops, chestnuts, roasted duck and salted egg yolk. Other options include a glutinous rice dumpling with golden dried scallops and pork belly, as well as a sweet vegetarian glutinous rice dumpling with lotus seeds. Available until 2 June. For enquiries and reservations, please contact Yan Ting at (65) 6506 6887, email yanting@stregis.com or visit www.yantingrestaurant.com. Din Tai Fung | Rice Dumpling with Flavoured Pork

While Din Tai Fung’s well-loved red bean rice dumplings are available all-year-round, its team of culinary chefs have brought back the Rice Dumpling with Flavoured Pork ($6 per piece) especially for the season. Made with top grade Taiwan glutinous rice, the dumpling is filled with succulent premium pork belly cooked in a secret marinade recipe before it is hand wrapped into a unique pillow shape. Grab their complimentary insulated picnic bags with every purchase of ten rice dumplings – while stocks last. Available at all Din Tai Fung restaurants until 2 June. Peony Jade | Savoury Pork and Mui Choy Zhong

For this festive season, Peony Jade has in store for you three new creations, Peranakan best sellers and sweet dessert dumplings set to tempt your taste buds for this festive season. Pictured above is the ever appetizing Savoury Pork and Mui Choy Zhong ($7.80 per piece), which consists of mui choy (preserved mustard greens) and tender cubes of pork that are braised over a slow fire for 45 minnutes to bag that comforting chew. Don’t miss the Cooling Tutti-Frutti flavour dessert dumplings that features a trio of honey and mango sago, avocado and gula melaka and coconut pineapple. And heads up durian lovers – they’ve got a heavenly Mao Shan Wang dumpling available as well. Available until 2 June. For purchase enquiries and reservations, please call 6276 9138 or 6375 5562. Feng Shui Inn | Sweet Custard Dumplings

On the sweet side of things, one of two gastronomic dumpling creations at Feng Shui Inn include the Sweet Custard Dumplings ($13.80 for 2 pieces) with fresh lily bulbs. Dip them into the two accompanying dipping sauces; the custard dip made from fresh organic Hokkaido milk works for those who can’t get enough of custard, while the gula melaka dip will give those glutinous rice dumplings a glazed light caramel finish. Available until 1 June. For enquiries, please call 6577 6688. Min Jiang | Red Rice Wine Chicken Dumpling

New this year to Goodwood Park Hotel’s famed Chinese restaurant Min Jiang, is a Red Rice Wine Chicken Dumpling ($6.80 per piece), modelled after the classic Fuzhou dish. While the dumpling comes jam-packed with savoury chicken thigh meat braised in red rice wine lees, good old chestnuts are added for extra sweetness. On a side note, their steamed ‘kee zhang’ served with homemade D24 durian dips are back by popular demand so remember to make those orders fast. Available until 2 June. Note: All dumplings are available for dine-in and takeaway at the two restaurants (Goodwood Park Hotel & One-north) and a minimum order of six pieces for the Steamed ‘kee zhang’ with durian dip is required for takeaway. For enquiries, please call Min Jiang at 6730 1704 or Min Jiang at One-North at 6774 0122. Shang Palace | Bird’s Nest with Coconut Rice Dumpling

Dessert lovers, especially the ladies, will love this one. Healthy rice dumplings like the new Bird’s Nest with Coconut Rice Dumpling ($41.75 per piece) are now offered at Shang Palace, located in Shangri-la Hotel. The hefty price tag can be justified by the use of premium bird’s nest, which helps to boost your immunity, on top of giving you that fair and radiant complexion. Four other new glutinous delights to choose from include flavours like eight treasure vegetarian, mixed nuts with Yunnan ham, pork belly with eel, as well as black garlic with lotus seed paste. Available until 2 June. For enquiries and orders, please call 6213 4473. By Peh Yi Wen See Also: Don't miss the best eats in town - check out OpenSnap now! Discover the best Singaporean food