Dragon Boat Festival 2021 () is coming! During this period of festivities, rice dumplings () are a delicacy enjoyed by many around the world.Mr Lim is the second generation and sole family member running the dumpling business passed down from his mother. Having taken over the business at the age of 24 in the 1980s, he has been running the business for 40 years. The business used to be from Hokkien Street as a street hawker, before the Singapore government made a push to shift street hawkers into hawker centres in the 1970s to 80s.As the owner of Hiong Kee Dumplings, Mr Lim ensures the quality of his dumplings, following closely to his mothers recipe to retain original tastes.As the hawker trade is tough and physically demanding, Mr Lim is constantly looking for ways to pass the business down. He feels it is a pity if the business ends after him.Rice dumplings come in tetrahedrons, and are a delicacy containing glutinous rice, marinated meat, salted egg yolk and others, wrapped in bamboo leaves. Bamboo leaves are soaked beforehand to soften. Ingredients are slightly fried and wrapped tightly in the leaves, then boiled for 1-2 hours.The sights of hanging dumplings are familiar sights to anyone who visits Hiong Kee Dumplings in Hong Lim Food Centre. Their dumplings are packed with ingredients, with the fragrance of bamboo leaves permeating the sticky, soft, chewy glutinous rice. The amounts of ingredients in each dumpling will not disappoint!Hurry and get your dumplings now!Did you know?The Dragon Boat Festival falls on the fifth day of the fifth month of the Chinese calendar each year. This year in 2021, the festival will fall on 14 June. On this day, people engage in dragon boating, as well as rice dumpling feasting.The tradition of dragon boating and dumpling feasting came from the story of a politician and poet who lived during the Warring States period in China (), Qu Yuan (). Qu Yuan was a loyal official and advisor to the Chu State, but was wrongly accused of treason and exiled from the state (there are a few theories on why this happened). In his exile, he heard of the downfall of the Chu State many years later, and in despair, he threw himself into the Miluo River, on the fifth day of the fifth Chinese lunar month.Qu Yuan was well-loved by the common folk. The people paddled into the river in an attempt to rescue him, and beat drums to scare evil spirits and fishes away. They didnt want the fishes in the river to feed on his body, so they made rice dumplings () and threw them into the river for the fishes to feed on instead of his body. This is how the origin of dragon boating and rice dumplings came about.Operating hours:0900H - 1800HClosed on SunAddress:Hong Lim Food Centre #01-45 / 02-37Music:Beyond the Line from https://www.bensound.comJoin HappyCat. for more food adventures! Watch the latest videos here:SINGAPORE HAWKER FOOD | Hong Xing Fishball/Meatball Noodle (/) | Hong Lim Food Centrehttps://youtu.be/Ioatr76t9KgSINGAPORE HAWKER FOOD | Fried Kway Teow () | Amoy Street Food Centrehttps://youtu.be/XCEDH6vUFw0
