On the Menu | Hong Kong has how many rice varieties? One woman’s drive to celebrate them all

We often forget that rice was once a luxury – a fact I was reminded of recently when I saw a well-preserved rice ration card, issued during the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong in World War II.

The card belonged to the family of Dora Wu, the chairperson of The CC Wu Cultural & Educational Foundation Fund, who has been the driving force behind an ambitious decade-long project to cultivate, explore, document and preserve Hong Kong’s local rice varieties.

The effort has culminated in the publication of the recently published Hong Kong Rice Catalogue, which details 35 distinct rice varieties – from the skinny Lo Shu Ngar (“mouse’s tooth”) to Hong Kong white glutinous rice, an evolution of a Taiwanese variety.

At the same time, “Sowing the Seeds for Hong Kong Rice Research”, an exhibition showcasing the team’s efforts over the years, is currently taking place at Our Gallery in Wan Chai’s CC Wu Building until May 3.