Living in C Major

Happy Dragon Boat Festival! To be honest, I have never seen a dragon boat race before. All I know about this festival is the savory glutinous rice dumpling, also known as zong zi in Chinese. My mum has made some. Mum and I like making this and that at home but our learning methods are very different. She learns by look-and-see method while I learn by researching and testing. Mum’s glutinous rice dumpling is very unique. You cannot find it anywhere else unless you make your own follow her recipe. She told me that was my grandma’s recipe. What are the differences between traditional dumpling and my mum’s dumpling? First, mum’s dumpling is white in color. Normal dumplings are brown or light brown in color. Second, we cook the glutinous rice with coconut milk and black eyed peas. Third, we steam the dumplings instead of boiling them. There are many things to prepare.

How to make Glutinous Rice Dumpling

Ingredients:
dried big bamboo leaf, pandan leaf, glutinous rice, black eyed peas, coconut milk, dried shrimps, pork, pepper powder, salt, ginger, dark soy sauce, sugar, light soy sauce, five spice powder, oil, shallot, garlic, Chinese mushroom, dried chestnut, candied winter melon

Method:

1. Soak the bamboo leaves in cold water for 12 hours, rinse the bamboo leaf cleanly after soaked. Pat dried. It will then be ready to use.
2. Wash the pandan leaves and cut into 1 inch-squared pieces.
3. Soak glutinous rice and drain. Add black eyed peas and adequate amount of coconut milk and cook until it is half-cooked.
4. Soak and drain dried shrimps.
5. Soak dried chestnut in water for a few hours. Boil the chestnuts until tender.
6. Marinate pork with salt, sugar, dark soy sauce, light soy sauce, ginger, pepper powder and five spice powder for a few hours.
7. Heat oil in a pan, stir-fry the marinated pork until cooked.
8. Heat oil in a pan, stir-fry shallots, garlics and dried shrimps until fragrant. Add Chinese mushroom and stir-fry until cooked.
9. Fold 1 piece of bamboo leaf together from the centre to form a cone, add in some cooked glutinous rice, and follow by the filling, top with more rice and 1 piece of pandan leaf. Wrap into a pyramid shape and tie with straw.
10. Put the dumplings in a steamer, and steam for at least 25 to 30 minutes. Done!

These dumplings have very unique taste that you would love. Healthy and not oily like those selling at the market.