粽子 Galore 4: Hakka Bak Chang

一个又一个不停的吃

We had happily savoured the Hongkong big fat zong some days ago and no doubt kept us yummily contented . But soon the snoppy noses miraculously found this white diamond in the sand, so unbelievable freaking awesome! Slipped through our eyes all these years, nobody spoke of it not even from our Hakka friends. Better late than never.

The whole making of this dumplings is different from all the rest, they don't use rice grains but glutinous rice flour. Isn't it amazing ? Look at the savoury filling of pork, preserved vegetables (mei chye, chye poh) and mushrooms, makes you want to gobble it relentlessly. I even went a mile further to oven-dry 300g shredded radish . Sprinkle some salt on them and squeeze out the water from the radish.  Dry them in a very hot turn-off oven for half hour otherwise leave them out under the blazing sun.

Frying of the filling is straightforward. Fry garlic, shallots, dried shrimps and mushroom preserved vegetables till fragant. Add in the minced pork and continued frying for 10 minutes over medium low fire. Add in the seasonings. Thicken the filling with potato starch. Set aside.

 

Challenge lies in the preparation of the dough. The texture depends on the proportion of the two flours - rice and glutinous rice . This dough recipe is closer to a springy mochi chew. Both flours are mixed evenly with the use of a whisk. Pour boiling water with salt and sugar all round the flours, followed by tap water and oil. Some adjustment of water is necessary . With help of chopsticks and hands, the flours should come together to form a semi-soft dough. Let the dough rest 15 mins.  Cover dough with cling wrap if single hand working. 

While dough resting, staple the bamboo leaves to form a cone base (about 20 pcs). Get a bowl of oil ready for greasing the dough before placing in the cone. Weigh a small piece of dough 60g and knead till smooth, then flatten between a plastic sheet. Place filling in centre and seal the edges. Grease palm of hand and lightly roll the ball with the oil. Put the ball between two hands and shape the bottom V-like and place it in leaf. Read Indonesian Bak Chang for the wrapping details. Steam them over high fire for an hour. 

woah !

Ingredients List:

Dough:

500g glutinous rice flour

250g rice flour

1 tsp salt

2 tsp sugar

300g boiling water

350g tap water + adjustment

Filling:

400g minced pork

30g chye poh

30g sweet mei chye

50g dried shrimps

1 large black fungus

10 shitake mushrooms

5 cloves garlic

8 shallots

3 tbsp light soya sauce

3 tbsp dark soya sauce

2 tbsp glutinous rice wine or any others

1 tbsp sesame oil
1/4 tsp five spice powder

1 tsp black pepper

1 tsp white pepper

20- 25 medium size bamboo leaves

Workshop @ Palate Sensations Singapore - 65 64789746

food quote: 撿了芝麻，丟了西瓜："In order to pick up a sesame seed, one drops a watermelon"：To concentrate on trivial matters to the neglect of important ones.
Cook as to how you like to eat it, join me if we share the same taste. PaulaCookingFingers