Dai-Style Pineapple Rice

Pineapple rice is a signature dish of the Dai ethnic minority of Xishuangbanna in southern Yunnan, a region with a subtropical climate and strong cultural links to Southeast Asia. Glutinous rice is soaked overnight, mixed with coconut milk and sometimes a little sugar, then packed into a hollowed-out pineapple and steamed for an hour or longer. The pineapple's juice and fragrance infuse the rice during cooking, and the coconut milk adds richness and creaminess. The finished dish is sliced through the pineapple casing and served in wedges, so each portion includes both rice and a strip of the pineapple flesh. It is a festive, communal dish often prepared for the Dai Water Splashing Festival. The flavour is mildly sweet and tropical, quite different from the savoury character of most Chinese rice dishes.