Bak Chang (肉粽 Meat Dumpling)

Duan Wu Festival (端午节) or Dragon Boat Festival, is celebrated annually  on the 5th day of the 5th month in accordance to the Chinese lunar calendar . The Dragon Boat Festival commemorates Qu Yuan's life and death. Bak Chang or rice dumplings were made by Qu's supporters to feed the fishes in the river so they wouldn't eat his body. 



Preparation of the Bamboo Leaves and strings for the Bak Chang.

 Ingredients for the Bak Chang

  
  Frying of the Glutinous Rice

  

he process of wrapping the rice dumpling.

Bak Chang (肉粽 Meat Dumpling)

Ingredients:

• 2 packet of Chang Leafs ( boil in hot water and clean)
• 2 bundle of dumpling strings or plastic raffia
• 1 1/2 kg Pork ( cut bite size)
• 2 kg Glutinous Rice ( washed till clear)
• 100 gm Dried Shrimp
• 1/2 kg of Chestnut (soak overnight in enough water,  remove peel with toothpick, rinse and drain)
• 1/2 kg Mushroom (soak and chopped finely)
• 300 gm Shallots - Chopped finely
• 300 gm Garlic -Chopped finely
• Winter Melon - depend how sweet you want

Seasoning:

• Chinese Five Spice powder
• Coriander Powder
• Salt
• Pepper
• Sesame Oil
• Light Soya Sauce
• Dark soya sauce

* I don't have the exact measurement of the seasoning, is based on my own judgement whether I want it to be either sweet, peppery or slightly salty.

Methods:

 Pork

1. Heat oil and saute shallots and garlic until fragrant.
2. Fry dried prawns till lightly golden
3. Add pork, chestnuts, mushroom and fry till golden brown.
4. Add the seasoning and winter melon and fry till pork is cooked.

Glutinuous Rice

1. Fried garlic and shallots till fragrant.
2. Add rice, continue to fry for 5-7 mins
3. Add dark and light soya sauce, pepper
4. Continue to fry till rice is dry& fragrant

Wrapping

1. Take two bamboo leaves, make them overlap slightly and fold into a conical shape.
2. Put 1 tbsp rice into the funnel base. Add 1 tbsp filling and over with some more rice.
3. Fold leaves over rice to form a triangular prism.
4. Tie with raffia string or plastic string.
5. Boil a large pot of water.
6. Drop the bundles of dumplings and boil for about 2 hrs.
7. When cooked, remove the dumplings and hang to dry.





Happy Dumpling Festival to all. ENJOY....

Kee Chang (碱水粽) Alkaline Dumpling

It's important to use the right amount of lye to make kee chang. If there's too much, the dumplings would be bitter and would smell of ammonia. If there's too little, the rice wouldn't be bright yellow, translucent and chewy.

 Glutinous rice that is soaked with orange-tinted lye is used to made Kee Chang. The rice is  then wrapped in bamboo leaves and boil for hours. It tastes bland, and is often served with sugar, palm syrub with grated coconut or kaya.

  
  Kee Chang (碱水粽) Alkaline Dumpling

     

Ingredients

•  1 kg graded glutinous rice - rinse till water runs clear
•  30g orange-tinted lye
•  Dried China grass or string
•  Bamboo leaves - Boil bamboo leaves for 10 minutes and let water cool down.
  Wipe each leaves with clean kitchen towel and soak in water until using. 
•  2-3 tsp borax (peng seh) - optional

Method

              - Soak the glutinous rice with orange-tinted lye with just enough wate for about an hour.
              - Drain thoroughly.
              - Wrap the dumpling with two pieces of bamboo leaves, about 2 tablespoons of rice.
              - Boil a pot of water at high heat and add the borax (optional)
              - Add the dumpling into boiling water.
              - Cook for about 3 hours over medium heat.
              - Remove from water and let it cool.
              - Serve with sugar, palm syrub or kaya.