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Hokkien Bak Chang (Sticky Rice Dumplings)

Prep Time5 hours
Cook Time2 hours
Wrapping Time2 hours
Total Time9 hours
Servings: 24 dumplings

Ingredients

Glutinous Rice 糯米饭

  • 1 kg glutinous rice 糯米 1公斤

Rice Seasoning 糯米调料

  • 2 tablespoons lard (optional) 猪油 2汤匙（可选）
  • 1 1/2 cups shallot oil 香葱油 1又1/2杯
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt 盐 3/4茶匙
  • 1 teaspoon sugar 糖 1茶匙
  • 1 teaspoon MSG 味精调味料 1茶匙
  • 3 tablespoons light soy sauce 生抽 3汤匙
  • 1 tablespoon oyster sauce 蚝油 1汤匙
  • 2 teaspoons dark soy sauce 老抽 2茶匙

Pork Belly 五花肉

  • 500 grams pork belly (no skin) 五花肉（无皮）500克

Pork Belly Marinade 肉类腌料

  • 1.5 teaspoons five spice powder 五香粉 1.5茶匙
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt 盐 1/4茶匙
  • 1 tablespoon sugar 糖 1汤匙
  • 1 tablespoon light soy sauce 生抽 1汤匙
  • 1.5 tablespoons oyster sauce 蚝油 1.5汤匙
  • 1/4 teaspoon white pepper 胡椒粉 1/4茶匙
  • 1 tablespoon dark sweet thick sauce 老抽 1汤匙

Mushrooms 香菇

  • 12 dried mushrooms soaked until soft (half per zongzi) 干香菇 12个泡软（每个粽子半个）
  • 2-3 tablespoons shallot oil 香葱油 2-3汤匙
  • 1 tablespoon light soy sauce 生抽 1汤匙
  • 1/8 teaspoon five spice powder 五香粉 1/8茶匙
  • 1 tablespoon oyster sauce 蚝油 1汤匙

Chestnuts 栗子

  • 24 chestnuts 栗子 24个
  • 2-3 tablespoons shallot oil 香葱油 2-3汤匙
  • 1 teaspoon sugar 糖 1茶匙
  • 1 tablespoon light soy sauce 生抽 1汤匙
  • 1/8 teaspoon five spice powder 五香粉 1/8茶匙

Other Fillings 其他材料

  • 100 grams dried shrimp 虾米 100克
  • 300 grams mung beans 绿豆 300克
  • 12 salted eggs (half per zongzi) 咸蛋 12个（每个粽子半个咸蛋）
  • 300 grams shallots 小洋葱 300克
  • 3 cups neutral cooking oil 菜油 3杯

Kitchen Tools 厨房用具

  • 1 packet (300g) bamboo leaves 50-60 leaves (2-3 per zongzi) 竹叶 1包（300克），50-60片（每个粽子2-3片）
  • grass water strings 粽绳
  • kitchen strings 厨房绳子

Instructions

Step 1 - Day 1 Preparation

  • Remove the skin from the pork belly and cut into 24 pieces. Marinate with the pork belly marinade ingredients and refrigerate overnight.
  • Soak the mushrooms, chestnuts, bamboo leaves, and strings overnight.

Step 2 - Prepare the Bamboo Leaves

  • On the following day, wipe the bamboo leaves to remove any dirt, wiping from head to tail (this helps prevent the cloth from getting stuck.)
  • Place in a pot of hot water for 15 minutes to soften. Cut off the stiff top part.
  • Stack the leaves to prevent drying (don't need to wipe dry). If they dry out, soak them in water again.

Step 3 - Soak and Prepare Ingredients

  • Wash the mung beans until the water runs clear. Soak for 1 hour 45 minutes. Test by gently pressing them, they should easily break apart . Remove excess water.
  • Wash the glutinous rice until clear and soak for 30 minutes. You will notice the rice puffing up slightly. Remove excess water and set aside.
  • Remove the red membrane from the chestnuts and cook for 25 minutes until they break easily with a fork.
  • Wash the dried shrimps and soak for 10 minutes.
  • Remove the stems from the mushrooms and halve them.
  • Clean the salted eggs, extract the yolks, and cut each in half.
  • Thinly slice 300 grams of shallots.

Step 4 - Fry the Shallot Oil and Season the Fillings

  • Add 3 cups of neutral cooking oil to a pan. Fry the shallots on medium heat until slightly golden brown, then remove from heat. The residual heat will turn them golden brown. Do not fry until fully golden as they may become burnt from the residual heat and become bitter.
  • Fry the mushrooms with 2-3 tablespoons of shallot oil until fragrant. Then add the seasoning and saute until fragrant.
  • Fry the chestnuts separately with 2-3 tablespoons of shallot oil. Add seasoning and saute until fragrant.
  • Repeat for the dried shrimps.

Step 5 - Season the Rice

  • Clean the wok. Add lard and 1 1/2 cups of shallot oil to the hot wok.
  • Add the soaked glutinous rice and toss until coated. Add all rice seasoning and continue frying until fragrant. The rice will become slightly sticky.

Step 6 - Wrap the Bak Chang

  • Arrange all the fillings in the order they will be placed: mung beans, pork belly, salted egg yolk, mushroom, chestnut, dried shrimps, fried shallots, shallot oil.
  • Fold 2-3 bamboo leaves into a cone shape, smooth side facing inwards. Make sure the corners overlap to prevent rice from falling out.
  • Add about 1 tablespoon of rice and press tightly. Then add mung beans, one piece of meat, half of a salted egg yolk, one piece of mushroom, one chestnut, dried shrimps, fried shallots and some shallot oil. Add more mung beans and top with more rice.
  • Press the filling until it is compact. Gently press the sides with your thumb and index finger while using the other hand to fold the bamboo leaves. You will see a tail. Fold the tail towards you to form a pyramid shape. If the bamboo leaves are not long enough, add an extra leaf if needed. Secure tightly with grass water string or kitchen string.

Step 7 - Cook the Bak Chang

  • Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Gently add the dumplings and reduce to a gentle simmer — the water should only be gently bubbling to prevent the dumplings from falling out.
  • Cook for approximately 1 hour 45 minutes. Monitor the water level and top up with boiling water as needed to keep the dumplings fully submerged.
  • They are done when the rice is tender and the pork belly fat has a melt-in-the-mouth texture. Remove from the pot and allow to cool to room temperature.(note: you can remove one dumpling to test.)

Notes

  • Smooth side of the leaves faces inwards. This prevents the rice from sticking to the leaves.
  • Press the filling until compact. Packing the filling tightly makes it easier to fold and prevents the rice from falling out.
  • Always top up with boiling water. Never add cold water during cooking — it drops the temperature and affects the cooking time.
  • Check all corners of the triangle when wrapping. Make sure the bamboo leaves overlap well at every corner so water cannot seep in.
  • Tie the strings tightly. If not tied properly, the dumplings will fall apart in the pot.
  • Cook on low heat. Water should be gently bubbling so that the rice doesn't fall out from the bamboo leaves.