Those who have traveled in China must know some kinds of glutinous rice food, like tang-yuan, zongzi, and niangao, etc. However, have you heard of wuse nuomifan ((五色糯米饭), or "five-colored glutinous rice"? I think you could say, Not yet; this food wasn't any you're likely to see in most parts of China. 

The five-colored glutinous rice is a traditional festival food for the Zhuang ethnic group in South China. Any festivals such as Lunar March Festival, Tomb Sweeping Festisval and Dragon Boat Festival won't be complete without it. The Zhuang believe that the five-colored rice symbolizes wugu fengdeng (五谷丰登) - a bumper grain harvest of the year.

Then, how Zhuang people make this five-colored rice? Zhuang people don't simple throw black and red rice into their pots. The five colors - black, purple, yellow, red and white - of the sticky rice are extracted from some healthy herbs. Maple leaves provides the black dye, a plant called zifanteng the purple; huangfanhua the yellow; honglancao the red; and nature, of course, makes the white. First, the herbs must be snipped into tiny pieces, and boiled in water for hours to get the dye. Next, soak the raw rice in the natural dyes overnight to ensure the perfect color. And then, steam the five color-soaked rice in a steamer for one hour. 

Actually, the sticky rice dyed with natural colors not only looks tasty, but has medical values. Zhuang people often cook it to entertain guests. The colorful rice is usually served with the leaves of lotus, bamboo, or banana. If you plan to attend the Lunar March 3 Festival in Longsheng of Northwest Guilin, don't miss a chance to taste it.