Chinese Dumpling Festival

The Chinese Dumpling Festival also known as 'Duan Wu' Festival; which occurs on the fifth day of the fifth month of the lunar calendar on which the chinese calender is based. And this year it's fall on the 28th of May. The celebrations includes eating dumpling which made of glutinous rice and racing dragon boats. But dragon boat race only held in Penang State once a year. However, I have made some dumplings for this celebration too.

Ingredients :

1 kg glutinous rice (washed and soaked for 3 hours)

300gm chicken breast, minced

1 onion, diced
200gm dried chilli, blended
100gm ginger, blended
200gm dried shrimp, pounded
300gm mung bean (washed and soaked for 3 hours)
2-1/2 tbsp brown sugar
30pcs bamboo leaves (soaked for 6 hours, then wash)
some strings
150gm chestnut (soaked & boiled to soft)

Seasoning :

1 tbsp five spice powder
1 tspn coriander powder
2 tspn salt
1 tspn ground pepper

Methods :

Preparation for rice :

- steam the glutinous rice for 20mins without adding in any water into the rice.

- combine all seasoning with 1/2 cup water.

- add the seasoning into the rice and mix well , once it came out of the steamer.

- then leave aside.

Preparation for spicy fillings :

- heat up the wok/pan and then add in 3 tbsp cooking oil.

- add in ginger, onion, minced chicken and pounded dried shrimp; stir fry till fragrant.

- then mix in the blended chilli and stir fry under low heat.

- make sure everythings are well combined.

- finally, add in the brown sugar and mix well.

- off the heat and leave it aside.

- Too bad, I have forgotten to take down the step by step photos.

- however, the show must go on, right?!!

- firstly, put in a tbsp of rice and follow by the fillings & mung bean.

- lastly, top up with rice again till it fits the wrapping.

- then tide it up with a string.
- after finished the wrapping process.

- prepare a pot with boiling water and 2tbsp cooking oil.

- cook the dumpling for 1-1/2hours.

- make sure the dumplings are completely cover with water as shown the above.

Here's my dumpling. This is the 2nd batch I made and have added in some colouring.