Heshan Five-Color Glutinous Rice

Heshan Five-Color Glutinous Rice

　　Five-color glutinous rice is a traditional snack in the Zhuang ethnic region. It gets its name from the five colors—black, red, yellow, white, and purple—that the rice takes on, and is also known as "black rice." Around the third day of the third lunar month or during the Qingming Festival, people of various ethnic groups in Guangxi commonly make five-color glutinous rice

　　The main method of making five-color glutinous rice is: the soaked glutinous rice is divided into four portions, three of which are soaked separately in dye solutions extracted from edible plants such as maple leaves (for black), red-blue grass (for red), and yellow flowers (for yellow). After coloring, the rice is steamed in a steamer to produce black, red, yellow, white, and purple rice. Once steamed, the colored rices are mixed together, placed in bowls or plates, and served with sugar and oil drizzled on top.

　　Its characteristics are bright colors, vibrant hues, glossy sheen, tender texture, and delicious taste. Five-color glutinous rice is not only a snack but also believed to have health benefits and medicinal properties, making it very popular among the various ethnic groups in Guangxi. (Guilin)