chinese rice dumplings

This month will be the chinese festival of bak chang or rice dumplling..usually celebrated on the 5th day of the 5th lunar month..

This festival commemorates one of China’s greatest poets and patriots who protested against corruption in the Government and after being dismissed wrongfully, he killed himself by jumping into the river..The people could not find his body and decided to throw rice dumplings into the river so that the fish does not eat his remains….

Ok, i guess his body was never found as this festival is still celebrated till now….

Ingredients = rice, pork meat, dry prawns, salted duck egg yolk, chestnuts and mushrooms..there are various variation depending on the dialects….they are all wrapped in bamboo leaves and tied with rafia strings (intricate process in the making and definitely not for people with arithritis finger like my husband! ) and then steamed for hours..

My mother, well of course, who else, makes the best dumpling in the whole wide world….! I used to get requests from my friends who have tasted her dumplings before to get some during the festival but i have to put a stop to that now since my mother is now very old and I dont want her breaking her back making dumplings! Anyway, too much dumplings will make you look like one so beware!

The secret to a good dumpling as I was told and have tasted it of course is one with pork meat that has a little fat in it..ie pork belly is the best..and when you bite into it..it literally melts in your mouth and the combination of taste is heavenly..

Well stay away from chinese rice dumplings..if you have high cholesterol, high blood pressure, a couch potato and hates exercise.. The rest of you do go and try some..if you can get your hands on some home made bak chang…

Happy Dumpling Days..!