There is a beloved tradition that always follows Dragon Boat Festival – the making bak chang. Also known as zhong zi or glutinous rice dumpling, it comes in parcels wrapped with bamboo leaves. Each dialect group has their own variation of the recipe, and here are some of them.
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1. Hokkien Bak Chang
Signature: Darker, more aromatic
Fillings: Glutinous rice (fried with five-spice powder and dark soy sauce), pork belly, chestnuts, salted egg yolk, dried shrimps
Taste: Since it is pre-cooked and well-seasoned, it has a distinct aroma.
2. Cantonese Bak Chang
Signature: Must contain green beans/ split mung beans, some versions are whiter, wrapped in longish shape
Fillings: Glutinous rice (seasoned with salt and garlic oil), pork lard, lean meat, green beans/ split mung beans, Chinese sausage
Taste: Savoury, not as sticky
3. Nyonya Bak Chang
Signature: Blue colour as a result of the butterfly pea flower, wrapped in pandan leaves
Fillings: Glutinous rice (mixed with butterfly pea essence), minced lean pork, candied winter mellon, coriander powder
Taste: Pleasing pandan fragrance, sweeter
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4. Teochew Bak Chang
Signature: Mixture of sweet and savoury fillings
Fillings: Glutinous rice, pork belly, shiitake mushrooms, dried shrimp, red bean paste or lotus paste
Taste: Unique blend of sweet and savoury
5. Kee Chang
Signature: Yellow and slightly transparent
Fillings: Yellow glutinous rice (made from lye water), sometimes added with red bean paste or without fillings
Taste: Taken with palm sugar syrup, it is much sweeter
6. Hainanese Bak Chang
Signature: Large with bigger ingredients
Fillings: Glutinous rice (stir-fried with black pepper, dark soy sauce and five-spice powder), fatty pork belly, chestnuts, mushrooms
Taste: Taken with palm sugar syrup, it is much sweeter
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