The Young Post team taste tests some salty and sweet traditional rice dumplings from several chains to share with friends and family during next week's Dragon Boat Festival
Maxim's Premium 'Home' Rice Dumpling
Jam packed with tasty treasures. A bit too salty, but very tasty with a good mix of fillings. Big chunks of meat and shiitake mushrooms or assorted fillings that give a rich, meaty flavour to the otherwise tasteless rice. This is what a traditional rice dumpling should taste like.
Maxim's Rice Dumpling with Red Bean Paste
Quite filling. The red bean paste is a bit mushy and doesn't taste like the genuine thing. Perfect for the sweet tooth as it tastes more like a chewy sweet than a traditional rice dumpling. Relatively small in size, but good for light eaters. A bit too chewy and artificial for traditional taste buds.
Cafe De Coral Rice Dumpling with Whole Dried Scallop
Bland, with a strange, grainy aftertaste and too much egg. Hardly a dried scallop in sight, despite its name. Looks gorgeous, but tastes more like gooey fried rice.
Cafe De Coral Red Glutinous Rice & Cassia Flower Rice Dumpling with Red Bean Paste
Fresh Cassia flower flavouring, and a light texture for a sweet rice dumpling. The taste is sweet without being overpowering, and the fragrant floral flavour is an interesting twist on this classic. The skin isn't as tough as the one from Maxim's.
Arome Ice Rice Dumplings
The citrus version offers a refreshing contrast to the surrounding starch. The one with a red bean filling is the best. If you are a mango-maniac, you should avoid the mango flavoured one, which is disappointing. The translucent skin may look light and cool, but it is too thick. You may get a mouthful of dumpling skin without the filling. But it is the best choice for healthy eaters.
Hung Fuk Tong Organic Glutinous Rice Dumpling with Dried Scallop and Salted Pork
Cute individual dumplings with soft, glutinous rice and generous pieces of chewy, juicy scallops. A delicious snack without making you feel too full.
