Fragrant Bamboo Rice

Fragrant Bamboo Rice

　　Fragrant Bamboo Rice is a renowned dish of the Dai people in Xishuangbanna, distinguished by its fragrant aroma, soft and glutinous texture, pure white color, and uniform shape. Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture is known as the "Granary of Southern Yunnan." The predominant ethnic group is the Dai, who belong to the ancient Baiyue group. Living near water, they are an advanced rice-cultivating ethnic group in Yunnan. Since ancient times, they have had a deep connection with rice, making rice their staple food and placing great emphasis on its quality. After milling, the rice must be sifted — whole grains are for human consumption while broken grains are fed to livestock. The preparation of Fragrant Bamboo Rice reflects their ingenuity and caters to their evolving taste preferences as living standards improve.

Ingredients:

Main ingredient: 1 kilogram of glutinous rice (or purple rice).

Side ingredient: 200 grams of peanuts.

Preparation:

(1) Select three tender sections of fragrant bamboo, leaving the node at one end as the base and sawing off the node at the other end to create an opening. Roast the peanuts until fragrant and then crush them. Wash the glutinous rice thoroughly, mix it with the crushed peanuts, and fill it into the bamboo tube. Pour in water to soak for 4–5 hours, then seal the opening tightly with a banana leaf.

(2) Place the bamboo tube diagonally over hot charcoal fire (high flame) and cook until the outer surface of the bamboo turns charred and the banana leaf plug pops out with a bang. Remove the bamboo tube, evenly tap around its circumference with a hammer to crack it, peel off the bamboo skin, and take out the rice column tightly wrapped in the inner bamboo membrane. Slice it into round pieces and arrange them on a plate.