Nyonya Bak Chang (Peranakan Glutinous Rice Dumpling)

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This is my version of Nyonya Chang. A sweet and savoury rice dumpling with a distinct patch of blue from the blue pea flower. It is usually wrapped in pandan leaves but as I was not able to get broad pandan leaves, bamboo leaves were used instead. Nyonya changs are different from the rest due to the candied winter melon and coriander powder used to make the filling. Minced pork belly was also used for this recipe instead of finely diced pork.

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Nyonya Bak Chang

Makes about 24  pieces

Course: Breakfast, Snack
Cuisine: Asian
Keyword: Nyonya Bak Chang
Author: Shiokman Eddie
Ingredients
  • 60 – 70 Bamboo leaves and strings
  • 10 Pandan leaves
  • 600 g glutinous rice
  • 300 g glutinous rice blue colour
  • 8 g dried blue pea flowers
  • 200 ml water
  • 8 shallots finely chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic finely chopped
For white glutinous rice:
  • 1 Tbsp white pepper
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 Tbsp concentrated chicken stock
For blue glutinous rice:
  • ½ Tbsp white pepper
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ Tbsp concentrated chicken stock
Filling:
  • 500 g big onions diced or shallots
  • 4 Tbsp chopped garlic
  • 700 g belly pork or chicken minced or finely diced
  • 12 dried shiitake mushrooms soaked in hot water
  • 1 cup chopped spring onions and parsley optional
  • 60 g – 100 g candied winter melon diced
Dry Ingredients:
  • 70 g ground coriander
  • 15 g five spice powder
  • 8 g ground nutmeg
  • 15 g ground pepper
Wet Ingredients:
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 1 Tbsp light soy sauce
  • 1 Tbsp dark soy sauce
  • 1 Tbsp concentrated chicken stock
Note:
  • If using freshly grounded spices adjust the amount as taste will be stronger. You could use spices like ground cloves and cinnamon.
  • Fillings can be made in advance and refrigerated.
  • To get a more fragrant filling pork lard may be used.
  • If you prefer the filling to be sweeter add some rock sugar.
  • Taste and adjust seasonings to your preference. Seasoning has to be strong as it will be diluted through the boiling process.
Instructions
  1. Boil bamboo leaves and strings for about 30 mins.
  2. Remove the strings and soak the leaves overnight.
  3. Rinse the strings and leaves before using.
  4. Wash and soak dry shiitake mushrooms in hot water and set aside.
  5. Remove stems from soaked mushrooms and cut into small cubes. Set aside.
Rice:

  1. Soak 600 g glutinous rice overnight.

  2. Wash and boil dried blue pea flowers until the water turns dark blue.
  3. Soak 300 g glutinous rice with the blue pea water.
  4. Add water to cover the rice completely and leave overnight.
  5. Drain both white and blue rice with a sieve and set aside.
  6. Briefly stir fry finely chopped onions and garlic. Remove ⅓ for later use.
  7. Add the soaked white glutinous rice into the pan and stir fry. Add white pepper, salt and concentrated chicken stock and continue stirring. Remove and set aside.
  8. Do the same for the blue glutinous rice with the remaining ⅓ of the onion garlic mix. Stir fry briefly.
Dry Ingredients
  1. Pan fry dry ingredients for about 2 minutes.
Wet Ingredients
  1. Mix wet ingredients well in a bowl.
Filling:
  1. Heat pan and add vegetable oil. Fry diced onions until translucent.
  2. Add chopped garlic and stir well.
  3. Add minced pork or chicken and continue to fry.
  4. Add mushroom water from soaked shiitake mushrooms.
  5. Add dry ingredients and mix well.
  6. Add diced shiitake mushrooms (that were soaked in hot water).
  7. Add chopped spring onions and parsley.
  8. Add wet ingredients and fry till meat is cooked.
  9. Finally add diced candied winter melon and mix well.
  10. Taste and add additional spices and mushroom water, if required. Set aside to cool.
Assembly:
  1. Take 2 bamboo leaves and wipe dry with a cloth.
  2. Fold into a cone shape and fill the rice, filling and pandan leaf.
  3. Compress it tightly into the bamboo leaves and fold into a pyramid shape.
  4. Tie the bundle with the bamboo string very tightly.
  5. Place the dumplings in a large pot of boiling water and boil at medium heat for 2.5 hours till cooked. Alternatively cook in a pressure cooker for about 45 minutes. Take out one dumpling to test for doneness.
  6. Remove from the pot and hang to dry or place on a wire rack to dry.
Recipe Notes
  1. If you are new to making dumplings, start with wrapping small ones first. As you practise more, you could progress to making bigger dumplings.
  2. More leaves are needed as some may have to be discarded if there are holes or defects. You may need extra leaves for practice also.
  3. If you run out of leaves, you could try steaming some in ramekins or wrap some in banana leaves as in pulut panggang.

6 Comments

  • Tk u Shiokman for the Nonya Bak Chang.
    I did subscribed your ebook and try making some kueh, my family said very nice.

    • Thank you so much for your support Sally. 🙏😊 Glad that you tried some of the kueh recipes and your family like them.

  • Hi I cant get blue pea flowers. Any alternative?
    Thanks for your hard work and helping us enjoy your videos.

    • Hi Dolly, I don’t think there is any alternative for blue pea flower except food colouring.

  • Thank you very much especially on steps to handle the leaves

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