Shima Rice Dumplings

Shima Rice Dumplings

　　Shima Rice Dumplings

　　Rice dumplings are a popular traditional rice dish among the Chinese people, available in two main types: alkaline (sweet) and savory. Alkaline dumplings are essentially sweet dumplings made by mixing glutinous rice with edible alkali. Savory dumplings come in five or six varieties, including meat, vegetable, and bean dumplings. Dumplings were historically known as "jiao shu." According to records, during the late Warring States period, Qu Yuan (340–277 BCE), a renowned statesman and great poet of the Chu Kingdom, was repeatedly demoted and exiled from office. On the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, he was once again banished to western Hunan. In despair, he threw himself into the Miluo River from a bridge. When the local people heard of his death, they began commemorating Qu Yuan every year on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month in various ways. They wrapped glutinous rice in bamboo leaves to make dumplings, which were then offered as sacrifices and thrown into the river. This practice gradually became one of the early Dragon Boat Festival customs to honor Qu Yuan.

　　The traditions of eating rice dumplings and marinated noodles, as well as dragon boat racing during the Dragon Boat Festival, have remained popular for over a thousand years and spread both within China and abroad. These are essential offerings in every household and must-try snacks for everyone. Shima Rice Dumplings have long been a famous delicacy enjoyed in Southern Fujian, Taiwan, and overseas, consistently selling well as a beloved local food.

　　Meat Dumplings: Made with glutinous rice, premium pork, chestnuts, dried oysters or shrimp, shiitake mushrooms, duck eggs, and other ingredients. First, the glutinous rice is washed and soaked in cold water for half an hour, then drained and dried. It is returned to the wok and stir-fried with marinade broth and scallion oil, along with a suitable amount of MSG, five-spice powder, and dark brown sugar. The stir-frying takes about half an hour over medium heat. The premium pork is either roasted or stewed, while the chestnuts are used raw and shelled just before cooking. The dumplings are wrapped in bamboo leaves, neither too loose nor too tight, with distinct edges and corners, and then securely tied with hemp twine. When boiling the meat dumplings, the heat should be strong but steady, with water added regularly to ensure the dumplings do not surface. Typically, they are simmered for about three hours before being ready to serve. Zhangzhou boasts abundant local produce, ensuring all traditional ingredients are readily available. The traditionally stewed meat dumplings are excellent in color, aroma, taste, and sweetness. When served with condiments such as chili sauce, they are incredibly flavorful and never greasy. Legend has it that over the generations, officials and scholars from neighboring counties, as well as overseas Chinese returning home, have enjoyed seeking out Shima Rice Dumplings as a traditional delicacy to treat their palates. Many “dumpling-wrapping” masters from Shima have even opened specialty “Shima Rice Dumpling” shops in Zhangzhou, Quanzhou, and Xiamen, expanding the market and maintaining year-round operations. This has helped spread the aroma of Shima Rice Dumplings throughout Southern Fujian.