Bak Chang ( Glutinous Rice Dumplings)

Bak Chang is the Hokkien name for Glutinous Rice Dumplings. We make them around June of every year. ( I don't know the exact date but my mom always remind me when it gets close to that time). It will be best if you have helpers or it might take you all day to finish making them.

I'm not sure if this is true but I've heard that making Bak Chang is an auspiscious thing to do..it brings Good Luck to the family. Oh well, we make them simply because we love them and our friends do too...sharing is BEAUTIFUL!


Making Bak Chang is not difficult but it does require a lot of prep work. Most of the ingredients are precooked prior to the assembly process.


Here's what you need:


Ingredients:

Bamboo Leaves (soaked overnight, then clean & pat dry just before you start the assembly process )


Glutinous Rice (soaked overnight)


Dried mushroom (soaked overnight)


Dried shrimp (soaked overnight)


Mung Bean/ Split Peas (soaked overnight)


Dried chestnut (soaked overnight & cooked with 4 tbsp sugar until soft)


Pork belly cut into 1/2 inch pieces


shallots (minced)


whole garlic (minced)

5 spice powder

light soy sauce

dark soy sauce

Oyster sauce

Vege oil

sugar & salt & pepper

Stir fry each fillings with garlics & shallots, light & dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, 5 spice powder. Set aside.

Take 2 pieces of bamboo leaves, line one on top of another, fold them from the middle and twist both ends up to form a cone/triangular pouch.

Fill the pouch with 2 tablespoons of glutinous rice, top with the fried pork and mushroom, mung beans, chestnuts, dried shrimp.

Complete the routine with 2 tablespoons glutinous rice, hold the pouch tight and close the leaves. Tie it with the string to make sure the dumpling is securely wrapped and no spill.

Cook it in boiling water for 3 hours.