Dragon Boat Festival
Reflections from hosting a cultural lunch
Two days ago, (31st May) was the Dragon Boat Festival. There’s always a special kind of buzz in the lead-up to it - supermarkets brimming with bamboo leaf-wrapped 粽 (glutinous/sticky rice dumpling), caterers juggling bulk orders, and everyone trying to snag their favourite filling before they sell out. Glutinous rice dumplings aren’t just an ordinary food; they’re a symbol of the festival itself. The story goes that these bamboo leaf-wrapped dumplings were thrown into the river to feed the fish and protect the body of Qu Yuan, a high-ranking general who, after being wrongly accused, drowned himself in despair. Don’t worry, these days we’d never waste food like that—my parents would be horrified!
Last year, I had the opportunity to host a cultural lunch at work for my colleagues to celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival. For me, this was more than just simply ordering in some Chinese food and eating together. It was a chance to share some cultural stories and the significance of behind why we have certain foods associated with festivities.
Menu planning for a dietitian should be a piece of cake right? Not quite. Aside from finding the right restaurant to cater and staying within budget, I also wanted to achieve a few things:
Showcase some familiar Cantonese dishes
Introduce some new, less familiar dishes
Share something homemade
All whilst catering for dietary requirements (gluten-free and vegetarian) and, in typical dietitian-fashion - ensuring there were enough vegetables.
As a dietitian who values both my cultural heritage and food, I’ve mastered the art of striking that fine balance between sharing delicious, authentic and comforting dishes while still keeping it nutritionally balanced.
Now here’s how the day went:
As I tended to the steamers in the kitchen and set up the food on serving platters, my colleagues began to roll into the kitchen. The aroma of food had waffled through the building and filled their appetites with curiosity.
I opened with a brief story about the historical significance of the Dragon Boat Festival - the story behind it and how it has evolved into the sport we now know as dragon boat racing. Everyone was curious about this pyramid shaped-thing wrapped in bamboo leaves that was sitting in the steamer.
To put simply, glutinous rice dumplings are a labour of love. While my dad can make various types of dumplings, steamed buns and cakes, these glutinous rice dumplings were one thing my family never made. We either bought it, or were gifted it during the Dragon Boat Festival.
There are both savoury and sweet versions of glutinous rice dumplings. Within the savoury options there are regional variations too - the differences lie in the ingredients and flavours used.
The ones I ordered for the cultural lunch were Malaysian Hokkien-style, which is referred to as “Bak Chang” (Hokkien for meat glutinous rice dumpling).
Why do I refer to it as a labour of love? Imagine you were making a dozen of these to give away to family and friends. The whole process from start to finish can take 1-2 days:
Bamboo leaves are soaked in water so it is pliable
Sticky rice is soaked in water overnight
Each of the different filling ingredients are seasoned and cooked separately, except the sticky rice
Once everything is cooked it’s finally time to wrap! A few pieces of bamboo leaves are placed together and folded into a triangular pocket shape and filled with the ingredients - sticky rice, a piece of pork belly, shiitake mushroom, salted egg yolk and so on.
It is wrapped up tightly, tied with a specific coloured string to identify its contents and then steamed for a few hours
Most of us don’t have the time to make them, but fortunately there are lots of Aunties and Uncles out there who do, and supply to the Asian supermarkets or take private orders. I am forever appreciative of their efforts to keep our traditions alive.
So how did my cultural lunch go?
I was honestly a mixture of nervous yet relaxed at the same time. Relaxed, since I was in my “element” - talking about my culture and food came naturally to me. I talk about culture and food the same way basketball coaches talk about technical stuff, game strategies and player stats.
But I was also nervous because the “Asian Auntie” inside me was wondering if I had made enough pork buns to go around (I made 10 extra). Nervous because the “dietitian” in me was also wondering if there were enough vegetables for everyone. Typical dietitian.
Overall, it was rather successful. My colleagues enjoyed the food, the mixture of familiar dishes with unfamiliar dishes worked well and sparked conversations about what they could order next time they were at a Chinese restaurant. And, all the rice in the rice cooker was gone. That’s when you know the food is good.
Here’s a flashback of my 3 favourite comments:
“Don’t just go for white rice [with your meal], the sticky rice dumpling is where it’s at!” - i.e. my colleague was encouraging people to try it
“Your food was very homely. Now I have a few more dishes to order at the Chinese restaurant”
“I loved the story behind the festival and the food”
Followed by 2 other memorable moments:
Seeing all my homemade pork buns disappear within 10 minutes, and lots of positive feedback about the flavour.
A colleague came up to me and said she hadn’t been exposed to much Chinese food, and was proud of herself for trying a bit of everything. Her favourite item? That pork bun!
Food can bridge worlds, and stories behind food are a catalyst, encouraging people to try things they’ve never eaten before. People are always amazed that there are ingredients, textures and flavours they discover within the Chinese cuisine. There is so much more to explore beyond what is available on restaurant menus.
Many Chinese festivals are associated with food, and it’s not uncommon for athletes to eat more of these special dishes during this period. Sometimes my Chinese athletes tell me they’ve indulged in festival delicacies and worry it might set their nutrition goals back.
But as both a Sports Dietitian and someone who values these traditions, I remind them that these foods are part of who we are. Glutinous rice dumplings, pork buns, mooncakes—they can all play a role in nourishing both our bodies and our sense of identity. With a little balance, forward planning and intention, there’s room for celebration and performance on the same table.
So, to my athletes: don’t be afraid to enjoy special foods around Chinese festivals. Food is fuel, but it’s also culture, comfort, and connection. With a balanced plate and an open mind, you can have both.
端午節快樂 Happy Dragon Boat Festival!
