Veggie Tuen Ng Festival - Healthy Rice Dumplings

Low Carbon Tips

Traditional Chinese rice dumplings are made with salted eggs and pork belly, which are of high cholesterol and little dietary fibre. Why not celebrate the festival by making a veggie version of rice dumpling? It's much healthier and still very savoury!

Let's see the nutritional difference between homemade rice dumplings and those you found in the market:

Nutrition Information:

 

Products in the Market

Healthy Mini Rice Dumpling

Ingredients

Glutinous rice, mung beans, pork belly and salted egg yolks 

Brown rice, glutinous rice, red rice, red beans, mung beans, white beans, lentils, dried beancurds, corns, dried radish, garlic, shallots, white sesame, oatmeal and Chinese mushroom

Fat

High

Very low

Saturated fat

Yes

No

Cholesterol

Yes

No

Dietary Fibre

Little

Plenty

Others

Each weighs 250g

Each weighs 100g

Calorie and Nutrition Info of Cantonese rice dumpling with pork (per 100g): 180kcal, Protein 5.7g, Carbohydrates 25g, Fat 6.7g, Saturated fat 2g, Cholesterol 35mg, Dietary Fibre 1.7g, Sodium 260mg) (Source: Food Research Laboratory under Centre for Food Safety)

Impacts on Environment and Health:

 

Products in the Market

Healthy Mini Rice Dumpling

Cooking time

3 hours

1 hour

Additives

Preservatives + MSG

No

Packaging

Bamboo leaves, saltwater grass, individual plastic wrapping and non-woven bags

Bamboo leaves and saltwater grass

Freshness

Unknown

Freshly cooked



Others

 

Children can help making rice dumplings with their families and learn more about traditional food.

 

Deepen their understanding of food ingredients and nutritions.

 

Recipe of Healthy Mini Rice Dumplings

Healthy Mini Rice Dumplings

For 10 rice dumplings, each weighs around 100g

Ingredients

Portion

Preparation

Brown rice, glutinous rice, red rice

150g

Soak for 3 hours and mix with 1/2 teaspoons of salt

Red beans

25g

Soak for 3 hours

Peeled mung beans

100g

Soak for 3 hours

White beans

25g

Soak for 10 hours

Lentils

25g

No soaking

Dried beancurds

25g

Cut into chunks 

Corns

25g

Cut into chunks 

Dried radish

25g

Cut into very small pieces 

Garlic

25g

Cut into chunks 

Shallots

25g

Cut into chunks 

White Sesame

25g

Stir fry first and put aside

Oatmeal

100g 

 

Chinese mushrooms

50g

Soak until soft, then cut into small pieces. Mix well with 1/2 teaspoon of soya sauce, sugar, sesame oil and cornstarch

Bamboo Leaves + Saltwater Grass

18 + 18
pieces

Wash with water then soak in boiling water for 30 minutes. Let it cool down and wash again with water, drain off the water and set aside.

 

Steps:
(1.) Mix brown rice, glutinous rice, red rice together with oatmeal
(2.) Mix Chinese mushrooms with garlics
(3.) Layer 1/ 1.5 pieces of leaves, with the smooth sides up and form a cone. Add the fillings in this order:
1/2 tablespoon of (1), 1/2 teaspoon of red beans and mung beans, 1/2 teaspoon of white beans, 1/2 teaspoon of lentils, 1 teaspoon of dried radish, 1 teaspoon of corns, 1 teaspoon of corns, 1 teaspoon of (2) , 1/2 teaspoon of white sesame and and 1 heaped tablespoon of rice. Use saltwater grass to wrap tightly around the dumpling. Steam the rice dumplings on boiling water over medium heat for an hour. 

Try the above recipe at home with your family and friends, it's more fun, healthier and eco-friendly! Choose as many local ingredients as possible to reduce carbon footprints, eat less meat and be nice to yourselves and the planet!