Rainbow rice delights Dai people in Xishuangbanna

Sticky rice is a representative food for the Dai people in south Yunnan’s Xishuangbanna Dai autonomous prefecture. Abundant sunlight and fertile soil make the rice fragrant and glutinous. The Dai people cook various dishes of sticky rice and also dye it into rainbow-like colors.

The rainbow rice is colored by natural dyestuff like flowers and plants, making it safe and reliable to eat.

The secret of dyeing lies in flowers. Different flowers make different colors. Firstly, boil the flowers and remove the residue. After cooling, the dyestuffs are ready. Then put the sticky rice into the cooled juice and soak it for more than 10 hours. After being filtered and steamed, the colorful rice is done.

The rice is not only a feast for color but also for appetites. It can be cooked in different ways. If you steam it in the rice cooker, its fragrance left by the flowers will be released. You can shape the rainbow rice into your favorite shape and eat with local cuisine, like moss, jerky or sour bamboo shoots.

The rainbow rice can also be cooked into fried rice with other ingredients. A bowl of the Dai colorful fried rice is undoubtedly a reward for the taste buds.

If you want to preserve the rice for a long time, the rice can be dried by being exposed to the sun. Later, pack it in a transparent glass bottle which can also serve as a household decoration.

Reporting by Li Shuqi (Wenlü Headlines); Photos by Li Haimei; Trans-editing by Mo Yingyi