Dragon Boat Festival Feast: Rice Dumpling with Canadian Red Shallots & Quail Eggs

Servings: 60 Portions

INGREDIENTS

10 cups white glutinous rice (2.5 kg)
350g red shallots, chopped
50g small dried shrimp
2 kg lean pork, cut into approx. 3x2 cm pieces (about 60 pieces)
60 quail eggs
60 dried shiitake mushrooms
2 cups water (for soaking mushrooms)
120 bamboo leaves
8 tablespoons pork fat (for shallots)
1 tablespoon pork fat (for dried shrimp)
1 tablespoon pork fat (for pork)
1/4 teaspoon salt (for seasoning shallots)
2 tablespoons soybean paste
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
60 strings, each 60 cm long

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Prepare Ingredients:

• Rinse and soak glutinous rice in water for 12 hours. Drain well.

• Soak dried shiitake mushrooms in 2 cups of water for 30 minutes, or until softened. Reserve the soaking liquid.

• Rinse and drain dried shrimp.

• Boil quail eggs, remove shells, and set aside.

2. Fry Shallots:

• Heat 8 tablespoons pork fat over medium heat.

• Add chopped red shallots and stir-fry for about 10 minutes until fragrant and lightly golden.

• Add 1/4 teaspoon salt for seasoning, then remove and set aside.

3. Fry Dried Shrimp:

• In the same pan, add 1 tablespoon pork fat.

• Add dried shrimp and fry for 3 minutes until aromatic. Remove and set aside.

4. Cook Pork Filling:

• In the same pan, add 1 tablespoon pork fat.

• Add pork and stir-fry for 5 minutes.

• Add half of the fried shallots from Step 2.

• Stir in soybean paste, soy sauce, and white pepper. Cook for a few more minutes until well combined.

• Add reserved mushroom soaking water (2 cups), shiitake mushrooms, and quail eggs.

• Simmer for 35 minutes. Set aside and let cool. Reserve 2 cups of the broth.

5. Prepare Rice Mixture:

• In a large bowl, combine drained rice, reserved 2 cups of broth, fried dried shrimp, and the remaining half of the fried shallots. Mix gently.
  

6. Prepare Strings:

• Tie a circle knot at the end of every 10 strings to make hanging and wrapping easier.
  

7. Assemble Dumplings:

• Take 2 bamboo leave : place one with the tip facing left and the other with the tip facing right, overlapping them slightly. Make sure the smooth sides are facing up (this helps the dumpling release easily from the leaves after cooking). Fold the leaves into a cone shape, creating a pocket at the bottom.

• Add about 1 tablespoon of the rice mixture into the cone. Place one piece of pork, one mushroom, and one quail egg in the center.

• Cover with more rice until the filling is well sealed and the top is flat.

• Fold the leaves over tightly to enclose the dumpling, then wrap and secure it with string.

• Continue assembling until all 60 dumplings are made.
  

8. Cook Dumplings:

• Bring 3,000 ml (3 liters) of water to a boil in a large pot.

• Add 20 dumplings and simmer, covered, for 1 hour.

  (If using a pressure cooker, cook for 30 minutes instead.)

• Repeat the process until all 60 dumplings are cooked.
  

9. Serve:
Enjoy plain, or serve with a bit of soybean paste and freshly chopped coriander.

Happy Dragon Boat Festival!