Bak Chang or Zongzi (Mandarin) is another traditional Chinese cuisine with strong historical roots. Bak chang is widely connected with Duan Wu Jie (Dumpling Festival), celebrated to honour the death of a famous poet, Qu Yuan.
Exiled from the state, with a heavy heart and an innate nature of kindness, Qu Yuan was depressed and committed suicide by drowning himself in Ni Lo River. Along the way, he wrote poetry and had garnered love and loyalty from his people.
The creation of bak chang is then used to honour his death — an interesting piece of history associated with rice dumpling.
Ingredients (5 Servings):
- Dried bamboo leaves
- 10 pieces of red string
(Rice)
- 2 bowl of glutinous rice
- 100 grams of peanut oil
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp dark soya sauce
(Filling)
- 500 grams of pork belly
- 50 grams of dried Chinese mushrooms
- 3 salted egg yolk
- 5 shallots
- 3 garlic
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp huadiaojiu (Chinese cooking wine)
- A cup of dried shrimps
- Cooking oil
Directions:
- Clean the dried bamboo leaves and reed strings with water (recommended to soak them overnight). In another bowl, soak glutinous rice, dried mushroom and shrimps in water for an hour.
- Marinate the pork belly with sesame oil, huadiaojiu for 2 hours.
- Heat peanut oil in a pan. Mix the glutinous rice, salt, sesame oil and dark soya sauce. Stir fry them for 5 minutes. Cast aside.
- Cut shallots and garlic into small pieces. Halve the salted egg yolk.
- Stir fry them in a wok until golden brown. Set aside.
- Mix the glutinous rice and pork belly fillings with an appropriate amount and wrap them using dried bamboo leaves and red strings. (2 pieces of bamboo leaves for one bak chang)
- Prepare a pot of water for boiling. Put all the wrapped bak chang into the pot (water should cover them by 10cm~)
- Add 1 tsp of salt into the water.
- Cover the pot and heat using medium-low heat. Heat for 2.5-3 hours.
- Add more water during the process. (To compensate for water loss)
- Switch off the heat and leave for 30 minutes.
- Then remove the pot and obtain the rice dumplings. Set aside to allow cooling.
- It is a wrap!
Note:
- Do note the wrapping process of bak chang is not shared here. Do search it up online to make your perfect rice dumpling!