Rice Cooked in Fragrant Bamboo of Dai Ethnic Minority
Introduction
The Dai bamboo rice (云南傣族竹筒饭) is a delightful dish that combines the fragrance of glutinous rice and fresh bamboo, making it a flavorful and visually appealing ethnic delicacy. This dish is representative of Yunnan’s (云南) diverse culinary heritage and is particularly popular in the regions of Xishuangbanna (西双版纳州), Dehong (德宏州), Pu’er (普洱地区), and Lincang (临沧地区).
Chinese Name: 云南傣族竹筒饭
Foreign Name: Dai bamboo rice
Category: Yunnan Cuisine, Ethnic Cuisine
Taste: Fragrant and Sweet
Main Ingredients: Glutinous rice, cured meat, peanuts
Country: China
Overview
To prepare this dish, fresh bamboo segments are cut, filled with high-quality glutinous rice, and soaked in water for several hours. The ends of the bamboo tubes are sealed with banana leaves (芭蕉叶) or clean sugarcane leaves before being placed over a low fire or in an oven to cook until the water is evaporated. Afterward, the bamboo tubes are lightly tapped on a flat wooden board or floor to release the rice, resulting in cylindrical rice cakes.
Xishuangbanna (西双版纳) is a beautiful and remote region in Yunnan, home to the Dai people (傣族), who have had a deep-rooted connection with bamboo for generations. They cultivate bamboo for food and construction, creating various daily items such as bamboo tables, stools, spoons, and basins. They even use bamboo pots to cook tea and rice. When visiting Xishuangbanna, one cannot miss the unique bamboo rice prepared by the Dai people.
Bamboo rice is cooked by placing glutinous rice and seasonings into fresh bamboo tubes. It is often made in mountainous areas or cooked at home using charcoal. The unique flavor of bamboo rice has a long history; the green bamboo tubes contain yellow rice that is fragrant and chewy, resulting in an excellent taste.
Classification
Bamboo rice is classified into two types: ordinary bamboo rice and fragrant bamboo rice (香竹糯米饭). Ordinary bamboo rice is commonly prepared by the Hani (哈尼), Lahu (拉祜), Blang (布朗), and Jino (基诺族) ethnic groups, often enjoyed during outdoor cooking and picnics.
To cook bamboo rice, one simply needs to cut a fresh bamboo stalk, place rice inside, add water, and then cook it over a fire until done. Hunters often take bamboo tubes with their meals, splitting them in half to eat together. This rice is wrapped in a layer of white bamboo pith, infused with the natural fragrance of bamboo, offering a unique taste of the wilderness.
Fragrant bamboo rice, called “Kao Lan” (考澜) in the Dai language, is made from a special type of fragrant bamboo known as “Mai Kao Lan” (埋考澜). This bamboo species has slender poles and grows over two feet long, with a white pith that possesses a unique fragrance. To prepare fragrant bamboo rice, one must select tender bamboo from the current year, cutting it according to the segments.
The process involves soaking and rinsing high-quality glutinous rice, placing it into the bamboo tube with a small amount of water, and sealing the top with banana leaves. The tube is then placed over charcoal or in an oven to cook slowly. Once the rice is nearly done, the bamboo is gently tapped to loosen the rice before further cooking until fully cooked.
Best Time to Enjoy Bamboo Rice
The best time to enjoy fragrant bamboo rice is from November to February, during the harvest season for fragrant bamboo in Xishuangbanna. This bamboo rice has a soft and delicate texture, wrapped in a layer of white bamboo pith, resembling a round pillar that is easy to hold without sticking to the hands. The rice not only has the fresh fragrance of bamboo but also the delightful aroma of roasted food, creating a tempting combination of flavors.
The Dai people often take bamboo rice with them when traveling and use it to treat guests.
Preparation Method
Ingredients:
- Glutinous rice
- Cured meat (腊肉) or Yunnan ham (云腿)
- Peanuts
- Peas
- Mushrooms (香菇)
- Carrots
Steps:
- Rinse the glutinous rice and soak it with peanuts for 3-4 hours.
- Select a 1- to 2-year-old green bamboo stalk (25 cm long and 4-7 cm in diameter). Make a hole at one end of the bamboo for ventilation.
- Cut cured meat, Yunnan ham, mushrooms, and carrots into pea-sized pieces, and mix them with the soaked glutinous rice, peanuts, and peas, adding a suitable amount of salt to mix evenly.
- Form a funnel with banana leaves and insert it into the bamboo opening. Fill the bamboo tube with the mixed ingredients, leaving a 2-3 cm gap at the top, and seal it with the banana leaves.
- Bamboo rice can be steamed or boiled. For steaming, add a small amount of water to the bamboo tube and steam for 20 minutes. For boiling, add more water since boiling will lose moisture quickly. Control the heat while turning the bamboo tube to ensure even cooking: typically 15 minutes on high heat, 5 minutes on medium heat, and 3 minutes on low heat.
- Once cooked, carefully split the bamboo tube open to remove the rice without spilling.
This preparation method captures the unique essence of the Dai ethnic culture, showcasing the creativity and resourcefulness of its people.
