Photo: Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore
Cover Photo: Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore

What better way to commemorate the annual festival than with delectable rice dumplings that come in classic and contemporary flavours

This year’s Dragon Boat Festival (also known as “Duan Wu Jie”) falls on June 14, but the Chinese chefs are already hard at work in their kitchens to craft delicious dumplings in time for the celebrations at home. Trust us, we have a plethora of sumptuous bak changs to look forward to, from the Cantonese varieties studded with traditional ingredients to more contemporary offerings that are jazzed up with the likes of truffle oil and black truffle shavings. 

Related: 10 of the Best Dim Sum Restaurants in Singapore to Visit Now

1. Wan Hao Chinese Restaurant

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5-Head Australian abalone with Iberico & parma ham
Above 5-Head Australian abalone with Iberico & parma ham

Looking for new dumpling flavours this year? You’re in for a treat as the culinary team has debuted the 5-Head Australian abalone with Iberico & parma ham rice dumpling. It’s as decadent as it sounds as the soft and fragrant glutinous rice is packed with its namesake ingredients. Every bite will thrill the palate with contrasting textures as well as sweet and savoury flavours. Available from May 24 to June 14. Order here.

Wan Hao Chinese Restaurant
Chinese   |   $ $   |  

320 Orchard Road, Level 3, Singapore Marriott Tang Plaza Hotel, S(238865)

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2. Shang Palace

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Applewood-smoked rice dumpling
Above Applewood-smoked rice dumpling

Chef Mok Kit Keung gives the classic dumpling a contemporary spin with the applewood-smoked rice dumpling studded with 10 Asian and Western Ingredients. These are the four-head abalone, foie gras, dried scallop, dried matsutake mushrooms, juicy smoked chicken, salted egg yolk, organic quinoa, black mushrooms, chestnuts and green beans. And to give each bite a fiery kick, it even comes with Mok’s speciality Sichuan chilli sauce. Limited to 100 pieces only. Available until June 14. Order here.

Shang Palace
Chinese   |   $ $ $ $   |  

22 Orange Grove Road, Lobby Level, Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore, S(258350)

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3. Resorts World Sentosa

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Siamese Jade dumpling
Above Siamese Jade dumpling

Thai chef de cuisine Surangkana “Aae” Sub-Anan took inspiration from his home country’s famed mango sticky rice to craft the Siamese Jade dumpling. The glutinous rice is made more indulgent after it's bathed in fresh coconut milk and combined with palm sugar, lotus seed and creamy taro filling. It's even slow-roasted to enhance its beautiful aromas, making it the perfect sweet treat any time of the day. Available from May 14 to June 16. Order here.

4. Xin Cuisine Chinese Restaurant

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Mala chicken dumpling with dried scallops
Above Mala chicken dumpling with dried scallops

Spice up your festivities with the mala chicken dumpling with dried scallops. The jumbo-sized dumpling (it’s 380g per piece!) is savoury and spicy at the same time with its ensemble of mala-infused chicken chunks and dried scallops. It's encased within aromatic glutinous rice. Available until June 12. Order here.

Xin Cuisine Chinese Restaurant
Chinese   |   $ $   |  

317 Outram Road Level 4, Holiday Inn Atrium S(169075)

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5. Jade Restaurant

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Bak kut teh flavour pork glutinous rice dumpling
Above Bak kut teh flavour pork glutinous rice dumpling

Love your bak kut teh? Executive Chinese chef Leong Chee Yeng's novel creation, the bak kut teh flavour pork glutinous rice dumpling, is for you. The rice is steeped in a special blend of herbs, spices and garlic to impart the hawker dish's distinct herbal and peppery notes. It’s then filled with marinated pork belly, salted egg yolk, black mushroom, and red beans for a touch of vibrant colour and texture. Available from May 25 to June 14. Order here.

Jade Restaurant
Chinese   |   $ $   |  

One Fullerton Square, The Fullerton Hotel, S(049178)

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6. Feng Shui Inn

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Golden Summer rice dumpling
Above Golden Summer rice dumpling

The Golden Summer Dumpling was crafted by Li Kwok Kwong to celebrate the traditional dumplings he enjoyed in his home city of Hong Kong. His version comprises eight premium ingredients that signify abundance—braised whole 10-head abalone, smoked duck, five-spice premium pork belly, sustainably sourced crab meat, Japanese Hokkaido dried scallops, salted egg, roasted chestnuts and mung beans. These are then tossed in glutinous rice, which is prepared by soaking the rice for eight hours in a stir-fried oyster sauce mixture, steaming it and wrapping it in a bamboo leaf parcel. Available from May 14 to June 16. Order here.

Feng Shui Inn
Chinese   |  

8 Sentosa Gateway Crockfords Tower Level G2 Resorts World Sentosa Singapore 098269

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7. Joo Chiat Kim Choo

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Emperor's Dumplings
Above Emperor's Dumplings

You can’t go wrong with a classic like Emperor’s Dumplings, which are filled to the brim with ingredients such as dried scallops, lup cheong (Chinese sausage), golden egg yolks, ginkgo nuts, roasted chestnuts and chewy premium-grade shiitake mushrooms. In addition, each parcel is enriched with chunks of pork that have been braised in a blend of 22 spices. Available until June 14. Order here.

8. Golden Peony

The Singapore black pepper chilli crab, prawn and Bedford scallops rice dumpling, crafted by Chinese executive chef Ku, also takes inspiration from one of our favourite local dishes. Made for indulgence, each piece is packed with the aforementioned ingredients and hidden within glutinous rice for a sumptuous marriage of sweet and savoury. Available from May 24 to June 13. Order here.

Golden Peony
Chinese   |   $ $ $   |  

2 Temasek Boulevard, Level 3 Conrad Centennial Singapore, S(038983)

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9. Man Fu Yuan

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Mala-braised beef brisket dumpling
Above Mala-braised beef brisket dumpling

Another tongue-numbing dumpling offering this year is Man Fu Yuan’s mala-braised beef brisket dumpling. The star of this offering is the beef brisket, which has been marinated and braised until fork-tender with mushrooms, bamboo shoots, coriander and flavoursome mala spices. Available from May 31 to June 14. Order here.

Man Fu Yuan
Chinese   |   $ $ $   |  

80 Middle Road, Level 2 InterContinental Hotel, S(188966)

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10. Paradise Dynasty

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The set includes the black truffle five grain rice dumpling
Above The set includes the black truffle five grain rice dumpling

The black truffle five-grain dumpling is an east-meets-west dumpling offering that’s also healthier with its mix of five-grain and glutinous rice. It’s studded with roasted pork belly, pork belly, chestnut, salted egg yolk and dried shrimp, and further elevated with shavings of black truffles as well as truffle oil and sesame oil. Available until June 12. Order here.  

Paradise Dynasty @ ION
Chinese   |   $   |  

2 Orchard Turn, #04-12A ION Orchard, Singapore 238801

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