Zongzi Embraces New Flavors and Forms

Every year, on the fifth day of the fifth month of the Chinese lunar calendar, drums return to rivers and lakes across China. Long, narrow boats cut through the water. Families unwrap sticky rice dumplings. Herbs appear on doors. Children wear threads of five colors around their wrists. 

This is the Dragon Boat Festival or Duanwu Festival, one of China's oldest traditional holidays. 

To many people outside China, the festival is best known for dragon boat racing. But the race is only one part of a much older tradition. Dragon Boat Festival brings together seasonal protection, food culture, family rituals and the memory of Qu Yuan, a poet and statesman whose story has shaped Chinese cultural imagination for more than two millennia. 

And in 2009, China's Dragon Boat Festival was inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, recognizing its ceremonies, food customs, sports events and community practices as part of a living cultural tradition.

With Dragon Boat Festival falling on Friday this year, bamboo leaves are once again returning to kitchens and food counters across China. Inside them, glutinous rice is wrapped, tied and steamed – forming zongzi, a seasonal staple that has long marked the arrival of summer.  

At its core, zongzi is defined as much by texture as by flavor. The glutinous rice becomes dense yet soft after steaming, with a sticky elasticity that holds its shape while remaining deliciously soft. 

Depending on regional styles, it can range from delicately loose and fragrant in lighter versions, to compact and richly layered in more indulgent savory varieties, where rice absorbs the oils and aromas of fillings such as pork or egg yolks.

More than a festival dish, zongzi is a culinary marker of time. It's a signature of the season and carries with it memories of family gatherings, regional traditions and seasonal rhythms. 

While the traditional recipes remain cherished, zongzi is also entering a new era of culinary reinvention. 

Food producers and chefs are introducing fillings inspired by desserts, beverages and fusion cuisine, including rose and hawthorn, taro with mochi, coconut cream and increasingly experimental savory combinations. The changes are seen by industry observers as an expansion of flavor options rather than a replacement of traditional recipes.

Packaging design has also become a key area of development, with festival foods increasingly positioned as gifts. 

At the Bvlgari Hotel Beijing, for example, Dragon Boat Festival gift boxes draw on the brand's Divas' Dream motif, blending Italian design elements with Chinese festive aesthetics. The boxes contain reinterpreted zongzi flavors, such as abalone with ham and dried scallop, and bird's nest with purple rice. 

At Huang Ting Chinese restaurant at the Peninsula Beijing, this year's selection includes green Sichuan pepper beef zongzi, pork with abalone, custard lava zongzi and honey jujube zongzi. 

The green Sichuan pepper beef variety delivers a distinctive numbing-spicy flavor, while the custard lava version adapts a popular dessert filling to the traditional rice dumpling format. 

Design and storytelling have also become an important part of festive food offerings. Global lifestyle and coffee brands operating in China have joined the seasonal trend, with Starbucks China introducing themed zongzi collections and crossover cultural collaborations. 

One recent initiative by Starbucks China is inspired by the acclaimed dance drama The Journey of a Legendary Landscape Painting, itself based on the Song Dynasty (960-1279) masterpiece "A Panorama of Rivers and Mountains" (只此青绿). The resulting product line features reinterpreted zongzi flavors such as rose and hawthorn, taro with mochi, coconut, and fermented rice with mung bean. Its packaging unfolds like a traditional landscape scroll, turning the opening of the gift box into an immersive cultural experience. 

Despite evolving forms and flavors, the cultural essence of zongzi remains consistent. As a seasonal delicacy, it continues to represent family gatherings, shared memories and the passing down of tradition – now reimagined through contemporary culinary language.

Malaysia too has its zongzi – we call it "Bak Chang" (from the Hokkien term for meat dumpling). 

Me, I prefer the nyonya chang. It is instantly recognizable because the glutinous rice is wrapped in fragrant pandan leaves (sometimes tinted blue with butterfly pea flower) and the filling is a delicious sweet-savory blend of spiced, minced pork, minced mushroom, and candied winter melon. 

Chinese Tourists Find "a Home Away From Home" in Malaysia

Thanks to the China-Malaysia visa-free policy, more Chinese tourists are exploring Melaka, uncovering its deep historical ties with Zheng He's voyages and the rich Baba-Nyonya culture.

 

 

Celtic saw out 2024 in sensational style at Celtic Park yesterday as they thumped bottom side St Johnstone 4-0. This Scottish Premiership outcome widens their lead over closest rivals Rangers to 14 points before a trip to Ibrox on Thursday.

 

The opener arrived from a familiar source. Reo Hatate burst through the middle of the park with the ball at his feet and sent an excellent pass out to Nicolas Kuhn. The winger cut inside towards the penalty area and smashed his shot beyond the goalie and in to the back of the net to give the Celts a well-deserved lead in the thirtieth minute.

 

Kuhn came close again before Kyogo Furuhashi benefitted from a well-worked corner to nod home from a yard in the 59th minute after the other side's keeper parried Paulo Bernardo's flick towards goal. Another arrived five minutes later for the Japanese striker thanks to a beautifully whipped low cross from Arne Engels and Kyogo smashed it first time into the back of the net. 

 

And then, substitute Daizen Maeda came on and gave a composed finish to a delightful dinked through ball from Bernardo in the seventy-third minute to secure Celtic's second 4-0 win of the week. 

 

 

Lee Weng Fatt’s Evocations of Rustic Charm

And here’s my third and final post on Lee Weng Fatt’s artwork. 

He's a praiseworthy talent (left) who has a knowing knack of turning abodes and shophouses into evocations of rustic charm. His oil paintings convey an impressively impassive placidness about them and yet, they still can demonstrate this ability to draw you in and keep you riveted. 

That's not the only thing. I’m equally impressed that he could recreate that yesterday look and feel – as if the oil paints have been generously plastered onto the seemingly indifferent painting surface with dollops of sentimentality. 

Believe me, just looking at Lee’s artwork is enough to send you on a trip down memory lane. There’s this muted elan about his paintings that sneaks up on you and sprays you with enamoring volleys of vintage verve. Indeed, the canvas becomes a smorgasbord of celebrated constructs that speak of his bodacious undertaking. 

I sense that he is emboldened when he paints. The visual acuity and the raw intensity that is apparent is balanced by sensitivity and attentiveness. The fact that he primarily eschews a brush in favor of a painting knife helps bring all of these out in the open. 

You just have to appreciate the careful arrangement of dabs and daubs and dashes as they manifest lucid chromatic declarations. That’s because his choice of the artist’s tool is great for bringing out thick textures and highlighting broken color effects. 

And then towards the end of Lee’s labor, with the most sedulous care, he adds a flurry of meticulous strokes from a benign brush and giving his showpiece that final touch of class. 

Lee is undeniably a pro. His paintings reflect the refined works of an accomplished artist – see how he executes every painting with panache. A class act.

For enquiries, please check out his Facebook page "Lee Weng Fatt'sI Paintings". 

The Mooncake To Die For

I was fascinated by the very many types of mooncakes available these days and I was particularly interested in those that I would describe as avant garde mooncakes. 

As I surfed sites that showcase these mooncakes, I chanced upon Kitchen Confidante. 

For sure, pictures of their mooncakes straight away caught my attention – but more than that, one version amongst their assortment literally stopped me in my tracks.

The mooncake purveyors named it “Baba Nyonya”. If you know me, I’m really into this Peranakan thingi. 

I told myself I must try it. 

And so, I contacted them on their Facebook page and long story short, Kah Kein kindly arranged for me to get my hands on the “Baba Nyonya”. 

Now I’m into mooncakes that willingly accommodate my sweet tooth – but knowing that this “Baba Nyonya” version is both sweet and savory caused me to approach it with a wee bit of anxiety. Maybe, that is not the right word. Maybe, ‘tension’ is a better word. 

It’s just me. I’m not really the adventurous foodie type. 

I read the description again. And again. 

The “Baba Nyonya” is obviously local-inspired. The Peranakan flavors of belacan and chili and paired with white lotus paste and chicken floss make it sui generis. It’s bound to stand out because simply put, it is undoubtedly unique.

I couldn’t wait to taste it. And I was not too surprised that with just a first bite, I instantly loved it!

I finished the two pieces in double-quick time. I’m not sure if I could adequately describe its complex flavors. It’s a fragile mosaic of sweetness, piquancy and zestiness. 

It is a mooncake like no other. It is not the flirtatious type and so, it doesn’t try to seduce you immediately – and yet inexplicably, you are drawn to it. 

This mooncake is a happy discovery. Nuanced, subtle and delicate. 

I’ll say it again, I love the “Baba Nyonya”! It’s honest, original and authentic! 

Kitchen Confidante are a 4-year-old patisserie and now making a mark in the mooncake industry. I learned that they take pride in the quality and integrity of ingredients. Not only that but their small business model ensures all products are baked to order and fresh from oven to customers. 

The talent in the kitchen is Karen Chai (right) and she has successfully put an enchanting spin on the traditional mooncake with interesting flavors and textures. I think she’s just brilliant!

The chef herself is a baker at heart since the age of 9 and who later expanded her knowledge at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, France when she was 31. She's the artisan pastry chef whose mooncakes – check them out below – are not only incredibly delish but they're also works of art!

She's ably supported by Kah Kein, the eager beaver who handles everything else outside of the kitchen. In fact, if you're interested to order, please contact him at 012 6366296.

Just as they did to me, the mooncakes will tempt you! FYI, they are exclusively available on Kitchen Confidante Facebook page.

Lee Weng Fatt's Art Hones in on Buildings

Lee Weng Fatt (right) is another Malaysian whose artistic genius captivates me enough to want to write about him and his art. 

A graduate of the Kuala Lumpur College of Art, Lee began serious painting in 1990. The fifty-four-year-old started out as a watercolorist before moving to oils, mastered the medium and now he's loving it. 

His art depicts kampung houses, stately Peranakan residences and pre-war shophouses in fastidious detail. And in not a few of them, you'll even find his trademark bevy of doves surreptitiously being featured. 

This talent transforms architectural structures that we sometimes don't give a second look into endearing edifices that emanate an ethereal quality that lingers.

I can actually visualize him drawing lines and coloring shapes and as the refined forms emerge, they cast a colorful visage that is a disciplined mishmash of hues and textures that give his work character. The ubiety of venerable buildings and their surroundings seem to come to life on the canvas.

By the way, Lee is Tan Gaik Hoon’s better half. And if you follow my blog, you’ll know I’ve already featured her Peranakan-themed art thrice – two posts in July and one in August.

For enquiries, please check out his Facebook page "Lee Weng Fatt'sI Paintings".

Peranakan Culture Through Tan Gaik Hoon's Art

The Peranakan culture is an ornate tapestry of cloistered customs and lavish traditions that exemplifies the refined lifestyles of the Babas and Nyonyas. It is a discriminating fabric of stylish sophistication that is a quaint fusion of Chinese and Malay.

And Tan Gaik Hoon's intricate brushstrokes bring out the pictorial elegance of a long-standing culture. She has put together a discerning collection of acrylic paintings that are time-honoured works of august resplendence. 

Any one of her creations is indeed, a prodigious brocade of harmonious forms and congenial colors that are delicately woven together into a sublime work of art. 

The former art teacher presents a treasure trove of eye-catching gems that showcases the stunning opulence of everything Peranakan. 

Tan (right) adroitly daubs and gingerly smears the canvas with precise bursts of enthusiasm and deliberate flourishes of earnestness and these splashes of twirls, swirls and whirls transform into an objet d'art. That’s because her abundant passion happily overflows as she dishes out generous dollops of paint to zhuzh up her art. 

And it is seen in all of her paintings. The immaculate care she gives to her compositions is an expression of her deep love of art and Peranakan culture.

Note: For any enquiries please go to her Facebook page, "Tan Gaik Hoon's Paintings” and leave her a message.