Today is the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, which happens to be the Dragon Boat festival or Rice Dumpling (zong zi, bak chang) festival because traditionally, it is at this period that we see these delicious packages appear. Traditionally. These days, these rice dumplings can be found the whole year round. Sort of makes them less special 😛
Still, I don’t eat them often, because I’m a bit of a traditionalist (and I’m not that much of a fan of commercial ones 😛 ) I grew up with my late grandmother’s rice dumplings which were to me, the best I’d ever had (every family will have a similar story I’m sure!) Each pyramid package was chockfull of goodies – braised meat, mushrooms, chestnuts, dried oysters… just barely held together with glutinous rice and wrapped in bamboo leaves, then boiled for hours to cook.
Are you a fan of these traditional rice dumplings, or what I call bak chang?
Here’s what the inside of a regular “Hokkien” style rice dumpling will look. There’s chunks of meat, mushrooms and some salted egg. Commercial ones tend to be heavy on the glutinous rice and lacking a little in the filling department, but this was quite tasty. I like eating it, hot from steaming, with some home made garlic chilli paste. Absolutely nostalgic and delicious! 😀
These rice dumplings come in different packaging – pyramids and rectangle parcels are 2 common variations found here. Contents and tastes vary too. There are sweet versions and every family who makes these will have their own additional “secret ingredient” that makes it taste good.
The origins of these rice dumplings are steeped in history and are said to commemorate the death of a famous Chinese poet Qu Yuan who was a Minister much loved by the people. He drowned himself after his King wouldn’t listen to his advice about the war on the border of their country, but being so beloved of the common people, they threw rice filled dumplings into the river so the fish wouldn’t eat his body, and rowed dragon boats to look for his body. Hence the start of this tradition 🙂 Truth or not, it makes for interesting storytelling right? 😀
If you’d like to learn how to make your own bak chang, here’s a recipe from Delicious Asian Food – a friend’s blog. I’ve seen the amount of work that goes into it and I’m not up to making this one at home 😛
Had a bak chang yet? 😀
Paris B
Scrumptious Saturday: One day in a week where I indulge in my other passion – food!
Jacqueline says
June 23, 2012 at 9:49 amI love rice dumplings especially the nonya zhangs. I always attack the corners first.
Paris B says
June 24, 2012 at 10:17 pmAhhhh I haven’t had a nyonya Chang for years! My neighbor who was baba nyonya used to give us when they made it and we’d swap. Miss those days when being neighboirs meant something
Kris says
June 23, 2012 at 10:01 am?????? remember to drink lots of Chinese tea, can be quite greasy sometimes. Xoxo K
Paris B says
June 24, 2012 at 10:18 pmOh yes, it’s definitely oily. I don’t usually finish up the glutinous rice. Can just feel too much sitting in one’s tummy lol!
plue says
June 23, 2012 at 10:23 ambak zhang day! it’s rather expensive to eat one these days, and the taste leaves a lot to be desired… miss the good old days when I get to eat home made bak zhang, but it’s so tedious to make it!
Paris B says
June 24, 2012 at 10:21 pmWell can’t be helped in this day and age when even if I had the energy to make it, I’d have no space to! Perils of condo living 🙁 I’d love to learn how, so one of these days, I might just do some experimenting 🙂
germs says
June 23, 2012 at 10:43 amhappy bakchang day Paris, those dumplings look delicious! i love the nonya variants which are slightly sweet and the alkaline plain ones dipped in fine sugar. the commercial ones in singapore are quite terrible though, everyone’s opting for leaner meat in the filling these days which just isn’t as yummy as fatter cuts of pork. you’ve got my tummy rumbling already :P~
Paris B says
June 24, 2012 at 10:23 pmI enjoy nyonya Chang too but haven’t had it in years! I used to be so fascinated by the blue corner in every one lol! I don’t like the alkaline ones though. But I remember my parents and relatives eating it with kaya 😀 I have to agree with you on one thing. A good bak Chang needs a piece of fatty pork alongside the lean. We need the oil, dammit! Haha hope you got your fill of it this year!
synical says
June 23, 2012 at 11:56 amDon’t like them myself as I tend to abstain from glutinous rice, but more for everyone else 😛
I totally didn’t know today was Dragon Boat festival.
Paris B says
June 24, 2012 at 10:25 pmI don’t eat a lot of glutinous rice. Sits like a lump in my tummy if its not cooked well 😛 but I make the odd exemption in bak Chang and lotus leaf rice (though I much prefer if they use normal rice in lotus leaf rice)
Sze Ling says
June 23, 2012 at 12:23 pmI love love love Bak Zhang! The pyramid shaped Hokkien type. 😀
Used to be able to eat loads of them without guilt. But now, my stomach can’t tolerate glutinous rice that well anymore. Sigh… Have to resort to eating only one per seating, or else I’d feel unfortable the whole day.
Paris B says
June 24, 2012 at 10:26 pmI know exactly how you feel. Gone are the days where I could wallop a few at one go. What a pig huh? Hehe..
Jennifer says
June 23, 2012 at 1:30 pmAbsolutely yummylicious! I am Hokkien and super fan of bak chang 🙂 I have not found a good one in KL though and my aunties in Penang set up their bak chang production line each year with excellent bak chang results! There’s another variation where it’s smaller and yellowish called Kee Chang, I think they add something called alkaline water, hence the colour and slight “chemical” taste, like the wantan noodle taste. I used to eat that by dipping in kaya or brown sugar syrup!
Paris B says
June 24, 2012 at 10:29 pmYay for being Hokkien Lang 😉 I haven’t found a good one in KL either. The one I have in the photo was given to me and the rice was tasty and well cooked, but the filling was a bit measly. I bought one that was quite well packed but wasn’t tasty. Sigh… I don’t take lee Chang myself. Don’t like the taste. Does that make me a failed Hokkien Lang? Lol
Jennifer says
June 24, 2012 at 10:48 pmHey pretty, you’re Hokkien too? Nice *clap clap and pat pat on the back lol*. No no of course not, kee chang has that “chemical” like taste which not many people would eat it like I do with kaya and all. I notice the Penang bak chang’s glutinous rice is darker compared to KL ones. Apparently in Penang, everything that comes in a shade darker like wantan noodle, char kuey teow etc are tastier whereas the Cantonese crowd in KL and Ipoh generally serve food in lighter shade. Oh well, whichever that makes the tummy happy, we’re all happy campers 🙂
Paris B says
June 24, 2012 at 11:08 pmHaha yes, 100% Hokkien 😀 but I’m from the south. Every dish that’s black will be Hokkien, or so I’m told cos the Hokkien people use a lot of dark sauce in our cooking. If its light, it’s either Cantonese or Teochew 🙂 I’m just glad we get variety here. Can you imagine sitting down to a black meal day in day out?!
Sukie says
June 23, 2012 at 2:24 pmI love bak Chang and Nyonya Chang! I’m not sure if you’ve tried Ki Chang (yellow and usually taken with sugar / kaya) my grandmas never made dumplings but I’m thankful that some of my parents’ friends do so we always receive this homemade delicacy! 🙂 wishing I can have some here though 🙁
Paris B says
June 24, 2012 at 10:31 pmI have tried ki Chang but never liked it. The alkhali taste doesn’t appeal to me, whichis also why I don’t eat yellow noodles 😉 it’s times like this when I used to miss home most. Is there nowhere in Chinatown that sells bak Chang?
Sam says
June 23, 2012 at 3:25 pmAshamed to say I haven’t tried one of these but you had me at garlic chilli paste…yum!
Paris B says
June 24, 2012 at 10:34 pmAww I’m sure there’s an excellent reason you haven’t tried these… Like the fact that they may not be easily found in Australia? 😉 but if you ever manage to get to taste it, I hope you’ll like it!
MisSmall says
June 23, 2012 at 5:45 pmOh I miss the bak chang from my favourite stall in KL. They used to be really generous with the ingredients but cut down a bit these days. Still good, nonetheless. The fatty meat (not the lean ones) and salted egg york are my favourite parts! Yum! Oh, and water chestnuts!
Paris B says
June 24, 2012 at 10:35 pmOoh where is your fave stall in KL? There are some of these stalls that sell them all year round!
MisSmall says
June 26, 2012 at 2:43 pmIt’s a stall in Paramount (part of a coffee shop), I think. Yes, they do sell it all year round. Like I’ve said, they already cut down on the generous ingredients and portion, but still better than the average cheapo ones I’d say. 🙂
Paris B says
June 26, 2012 at 3:29 pmAh! I don’t go down to PJ much but if I’m in the area, I’ll be sure to bear this in mind 😀
Hanny says
June 23, 2012 at 9:22 pmI LOVE BAK CHANG! Yes, PB, no one can beat Ah Ma’s (Grandma’s) Bak Chang! ^.^ Perhaps we should all make all grandmothers capable of making this in an All Grandma Bak Chang Cook Off to see who is le best?
Anyways, I detest ki chang though >.<" I don't like the taste of the alkaline water at all. Heck, I don't even eat the yellow mee in hawker hood because of the same reason.
Paris B says
June 24, 2012 at 10:37 pmLol!! Only if I could resurrect my gran 😉 naturally our own grandma makes the best bak Chang ever eaten right? And like you, I don’t eat ki Chang either, and for the same reasons as you. So no, I don’t do yellow noodles either!
Pearl says
June 23, 2012 at 10:29 pmmy post may be out of topic a little, but just thought of sharing this…
On the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, if u put a chicken egg out in the sun at sharp 12noon, the egg will stand by itself. You may try it next year on today’s date! (chinese date) 😀
Paris B says
June 24, 2012 at 10:38 pmHow interesting, Pearl! I remember this was talked about recently too. Was it the leap year? Something like that.
Pearl says
June 25, 2012 at 12:26 amat first i thought it was about leap year also, but knowing from the older folk, it happen every year! And i just knew it too today! (i mean yesterday) :p haha
Lily says
June 23, 2012 at 11:25 pmI haven’t had my bak chang!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I’m so gonna get it tomorrow. Had a full day at work today, and it’s a Saturday. *fumes* Oh, when I was a kid, I also loved those little ones with red beans inside… and you eat it with syrup. Mmmm… it’s so hard to find good ones now 🙁
Like you, I’m spoiled because my mom and grandma make them. One day, I’m gonna have to learn. One day…
Paris B says
June 24, 2012 at 10:41 pmWow! I hope you made up for working on a Saturday by having a good relaxing Sunday! Working on a Saturday really throws my rhythm out of whack. Hope you’ve had a nice bak Chang meal. Am absolutely jealous that you get homemade ones!
Scientist says
June 24, 2012 at 6:56 amI had some two Sunday’s ago, however they didn’t use bamboo leaves and whatever they used gave the rice a bitter taste. The filling was yummy none the less, lots of mushrooms and pork 🙂
Paris B says
June 24, 2012 at 10:42 pmOoh that’s interesting, I wonder what other leaves they might have used. I used to see my gran cleaning the leaves which was the only way I knew what they were. 🙂
Swati says
June 24, 2012 at 1:32 pmnever tasted rice dumplings but I have heard too much of them….your food posts make me go all hungry 😀
Paris B says
June 24, 2012 at 10:56 pmAww I hope you don’t read the food posts at night, Swati! I know I always make the mistake of reading food blogs at night and then my tummy starts to rumble 😛
missoopsie says
June 25, 2012 at 8:57 ami like my bak chang white and with green beans. 🙂
just a word of caution, never take bak chang tied with raffia string. raffia string was never meant for cooking, we do not know what will leech out to the bak chang.
Paris B says
June 26, 2012 at 2:12 pmThanks for the tip! Sadly many bak chang, home made or commercial are tied with raffia string instead of the bamboo strips. I guess its just easier sourcing the former than the latter.
trah says
June 25, 2012 at 11:45 amI had my bak chang yesterday given by a relative of mine, and mom bought kaya for the smaller plain ones. I still prefer the ones sold in a night market by an old man. He is very generous with the fillings, every bite comes with a moan of satisfaction.
Paris B says
June 26, 2012 at 2:36 pmI had to lick my lips at the thought of a generously filled bak chang! Rare thing to find these days 😀
Mrs Top Monkey says
September 15, 2012 at 9:31 amThe rectangle bak changs are a Hainanese thing. I should know, hehe… even though we rarely made those and usually made the standard pyramid bak changs. I remember being part of the bak chang production line when we lived at the kopitiam, I was usually in the middle of the line and my job was to spoon in the ingredients.