🐉 Dragon Boat Festival: Make Your Own Zongzi (Chinese Rice Dumplings) workshop

Ever wondered what's inside those pyramid-shaped parcels at the Chinese restaurant?
Come and make them yourself! This Dragon Boat Festival, we're hosting a hands-on zongzi making workshop at Loong Express — one of the most fun ways to experience Chinese culture, no language skills or cooking experience required.

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🏮 A little bit of history
The Dragon Boat Festival (端午节, Duānwǔ Jié) falls on the 5th day of the 5th lunar month and is one of the most celebrated dates in the Chinese calendar. It honours Qu Yuan, a beloved poet and statesman from ancient China who drowned himself in protest against a corrupt government. According to legend, the local people were so grief-stricken that they rowed out on the river throwing parcels of rice into the water — hoping to keep the fish away from his body. That's how zongzi were born.
More than 2,000 years later, the tradition is still very much alive. Every Dragon Boat Festival, families across China gather to wrap sticky rice in lotus leaves, pack them with fillings, tie them with string, and steam them to perfection. It's a labour of love — and today, you're going to try it yourself.

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🍃 What we'll be making
Zongzi are parcels of glutinous (sticky) rice wrapped in lotus leaves and steamed until soft and fragrant. They come in sweet and savoury versions depending on the region, and the fillings vary endlessly across China. Today we'll be making a classic savoury zongzi with:

• 🍃 Lotus leaves
• 🍚 Glutinous rice
• 🥚 Salted egg yolk
• 🥩 Pork
• 🌹 Red dates
• 🍬 Sugar

Everything is provided — just bring your appetite and your curiosity.

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📋 How the session runs
11:00am — Welcome & introduction to the Dragon Boat Festival, its history and traditions
11:20am — Step-by-step zongzi making class led by an experienced teacher. You'll learn how to soak and layer the leaves, portion the rice, add the fillings, fold, wrap, and tie — the full process from scratch. Each person will make 3 zongzi.
12:30pm — Your zongzi go into the professional kitchen to be steamed while you relax and mingle
1:00pm — Sit down and eat what you made! Any zongzi you can't finish are yours to take home.
Optional: Stay on after the workshop and enjoy lunch at Loong Express restaurant.

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👌 Perfect for you if…

• You're curious about Chinese food culture and want to go beyond just eating it
• You're looking for a social, fun activity to do with friends or to meet new people
• You want to properly celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival
• You've never tried making Chinese food from scratch and fancy giving it a go

No experience needed. No Chinese language skills needed. Just turn up!

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⚠️ A few things to know

• Places are strictly limited to 30 people — this event tends to fill up fast
• Please arrive on time as the class starts promptly at 11:00am
• Zongzi contain glutinous rice, pork, and egg — please check the ingredients against any dietary requirements before booking
• Wear something you don't mind getting a little sticky!

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We can't wait to celebrate with you. See you at Loong Express! 🐉