Traditional Savoury Rice Dumpling - Bak Chang, Zong Zi- 肉粽

Chinese rice dumpling or known as Bak Chang (hokkien), Zhong zi (mandarin) or Zhong (cantonese) which will be eaten during 5th of fifth month in lunar calendar---DragonBoat Festival or Dumpling Festival - 端午节. According to legend, rice dumpling were thrown into river to prevent fishes eating Qu Yuan's body whose a famous chinese poet from Kingdom Chu, He failed to warn his King to against expansionism of their neighbour Qin. When dynasty Qin took over his contry, he drown himself in the Milou River after penning the Lament of Ying. Nowday, peoples are still eating it and it can be found anytime in most chinese shops in Asia.

Source: Jo's Deli And Bakery, Seadragon, Amy Beh

INGREDIENTS:
Makes 20-25

(A) For preparing glutinous rice:
1 kg glutinous rice (soaked overnight, drained)
2-3 tbsp cooking oil
2 tbsp chopped garlic; shallots
3 tbsp light soy sauce
2 tbsp chicken stock
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1-1/2 tbsp dark soy sauce
1/2 tsp five spice powder
Pepper, salt to taste

(B) For preparing meat:
200g belly pork/ chicken meat (cut into 20-25 cubes)
1 tsp chicken stock
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1/2 tsp dark soy sauce
Pinch of five spice powder
1 tsp light soy sauce

(C) For preparing filling:
100g black-eyed/red beans (soaked overnight, drained)
20-25 nos. dried chestnuts (soaked overnight, drained)
100g dried shrimp (soaked until soft)
13 nos. chinese mushrooms (soaked until soft, cut into halves)
2 tbsp chopped garlic & shallots
2 tbsp cooking oil
2 tbsp oyster sauce
2 tbsp light soy sauce
Sesame oil, salt & pepper to taste
1/4 tsp five spice powder

(D) 13 nos. salt egg yolks, cut into halves
50 pieces bamboo leaves
Hemp strings



METHOD:

1. Soak the glutinous rice, beans and dried water chestnut seperately overnight, drained. Soak dried shrimp and chinese mushroom seperately till soft, drained. relatively fast.
2. Cook hemp- string and bamboo leaves till soft, wipe off.
3. For preparing glutinous rice (A): Heat oil in a wok. Sauté chopped garlic and shallots until fragrant, add in glutinous rice, fry for a while and lastly add in seasoning. Dish out and set aside.
4. For preparing meat: Season pork/ chicken with all seasonings in (B) for at least 2 hour or overnight.
5. For preparing filing: Heat oil in a wok, sauté chopped garlic and shallots until fragrant, add in the rest of ingredients (C). Dish out and set aside.
6. For each dumpling, shape 2 bamboo leaves like a cone, put in some rice and press it. Add in meat, chestnut, shrimps, mushroom and beans, cover it again with some rice. Wrap it up to 4 points triangle and bind it tightly.

7. Place wrapped dumplings in a large pot of boiling water and cook for 1-1/2 to 2 hours. Served.

Notes:

1. Make sure no whole for the dumpling to escape.

2. Add more hot boiling water if water not enough to cover rice dumpling during cooking process.

3. Dumplings can be stored in freezer for at least 1 month. Steam or microwave dumplings before serving.

Notes:

1. Wrap the dumpling tighly before cook it in water.