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.