Rice Dumpling (Bak Chang)

As the fifth day of the fifth lunar month is approaching, my craving for Rice Dumpling (Bak Chang) is getting stronger. Since nowadays I am in the cooking mood, I decided to try my hands on making Rice Dumpling myself. I started by getting all the ingredients needed, prepared some of the ingredients the night before I cooked the glutinous rice and the filling for the dumplings today. I struggled a lot while in the process of wrapping the dumplings. The wrapping process is not as easy as shown in the diagrams in the cookbook. Hubby helps me a lot in the process of wrapping the dumplings. He is basically are better and faster in wrapping the dumplings. So, thanks alot Hubby, without you, I'll need to use more time in it.

Ingredients

A) Rice

1 kg glutinous rice, soaked overnight and drained

250g peanuts, soaked overnight

5 tbsp cooking oil

Seasoning 1

1 1/2 tbsp dark soya sauce

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp five spice powder

dash of MSG (optional)

B) Filling

500g pork belly, cut into small pieces

150g dried mushroom, soaked and cut

100g dried shrimps, soaked to soften

100g bird eye peas, soaked overnight

100g dried chestnuts, soaked overnight, cleaned

6 shallots, chopped

4 cloves of garlic, chopped

6 shallots, chopped

4 tbsp oil

Seasoning 2

2 tbsp dark soya sauce

1 tsp five spice powder

2 tsp salt

dash of pepper powder

dash of MSG (optional)

C) Wraps

bamboo leaves, boiled till soft

hemp string, boiled till soft

Methods

1. To prepare rice: Heat oil, fry glutinous rice and peanuts, add seasoning (1), stir fry for 5 minutes and dish out.
2. To prepare filling: Heat oil, fry chopped shallots, garlic and dried shrimps till fragrant. Add in belly pork pieces and seasoning (2), fry till dry.
3. To make dumpling: Overlap 2 pieces of bamboo leaves, place 2 tbsp rice in center, spoon over pork filling, mushroom, chestnuts, bird eye peas and cover with 2 tbsp rice. Wrap and secure with hemp string.
4. Boil in boiling water over high heat for 1 hour, reduce heat and continue to boil for 1 1/4 hour.

Comments: I didnt put in MSG for the dumplings. Therefore, I felt it still lack of "Ommph" in it. Will put some MSG for the next round of rice dumpling making.