Freshly-made qingtuan. [Photo/WeChat account: wuxishilvyouju]

In the Wuxi dim sum scene, the most popular delicacy by far is food made using glutinous rice.

Glutinous rice is one of the most important ingredients in Wuxi's dim sum, encapsulating the taste of the Jiangnan region within its tasty grains. Traditional glutinous rice food shops, or gaotuan shops, are very popular in Wuxi.

Colorful glutinous rice balls. [Photo/WeChat account: wuxishilvyouju]

Handmade qingtuan, or green glutinous rice balls, have a chewy and elastic outer layer that doesn't stick to the teeth. Fresh wormwood grass is used to extract a vibrant green juice, which is then mixed with glutinous rice flour and shaped into balls. After steaming, these rice balls release a rich, earthy aroma with notes of grass and wood.

Their jade-like color is visually appealing, and when eaten, it is sticky, chewy, and soft. The sweet ones are not cloying, and the savory ones are rich but not greasy.

Baituan, or white glutinous rice balls, known for being plump and smooth, are actually just "qingtuan" without wormwood juice.

Chongyang cake. [Photo/WeChat account: wuxishilvyouju]

In addition, Wuxi natives particularly love a variety of other glutinous rice-made food, such as sweet dumplings on Lantern Festival, Chongyang cake on the Double Ninth Festival, radish-filled glutinous rice balls in October, and osmanthus lard sugar rice cake in December.

These treats have rich fillings: chopped meat, sesame, dried bamboo shoots, red bean paste, and more.

Not only do they taste good, but they also come in a variety of pleasing shapes and colors. Therefore, most of Wuxi's glutinous rice-made foods are colorful, sweet, and soft.