Dumpling (Bak Chang)

Sigh, this year dumpling festival that was on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, I missed eating the dumpling (bak chang) that my sis-in-law make because I was sick for a whole week. Certainly was like doomsweek to me cause I dont fall sick easily. Sigh, must be a sign of old age (ha ha ha). I like the bak chang that my sis-in-law make not too oily, very different from those sold by vendors. Inside the bak chang has ingredients such as mushroom, chestnut, pork belly. Yummy. She also make the other type of dumpling called kee chang. This kee chang do not have any ingredients inside and you dip the kee chang with sugar and eat it.

Had to ask her for the recipe so that I can put in my blog so that I can share the recipe with my friends who are my loyal fans of my blog. (thank you all)

I included the origins of Dumpling Festival or Dragon Boat Festival so that my circle of overseas friends know what I am talking about.

The Story

Dumpling Festival (Duan Wu Jie) is also known as Dragon Boat Festival. It is celebrated in remembrance of Chinese poet Qu Yuan, who was a loyal official in the court of the Chu Kingdom in old China. Jealous of him, the other court officials schemed to frame him by telling lies about him in front of the fatuous emperor, resulting in Qu Yuan being banished from the court. Over the next 20 years, the Chu kingdom got weaker and feeling sad that his beloved country was controlled by another country, Qu Yuan decided to end his life by jumping into the river. Fishermen who heard that Qu Yuan drowned himself in the river set sail on boats to look for his body When they could not find it, they threw rice wrapped in bamboo leaves into the river so that the fish in the river would eat the rice instead of his body. Thus began the tradition of dragon boat races (creating a din to scare away the preying fish?) and eating rice dumplings on Duan Wu Jie. (source: http://www.can.com.sg)

Why I blog?

Yipee, I managed to create a blog.

My friends think I am too old to blog and some think it is a waste of time and husband shakes his head and say I live in the computer. (ha ha ha) But last night, channel U was talking about blogs and husband saw that actually he is the one behind time. So husband take a look at my blog and say blog blog blog in english and mandarin. (so funny)

Well, I already have supportive fans. My two sons especially my eldest, are the ones who actually encourage me to blog and put in some recipes in. So that if they happen to study or work overseas, they can log in my blog and view my recipes and start cooking. (hahaha)..I think they are being polite, maybe they are afraid that when I died I might bring my recipes along with me. But really I am not a very good cook. My cooking style is very simple and no frills type (in another word - short cut).

My late mother would surely disapproved with my style of cooking. (he he he) Mom would spend hours in the kitchen pounding and grinding to make delicious food for us. Talking about it, geez I surely miss mom's food. If only she learned to blog and put her recipes in. Well, I know mom too well, if I ask her for the recipe on how to cook curry chicken, she would say 1 chicken, $1 onion, $1 dry chilli, 70 cents coconut, thumb size ginger, water - agak agak (Singapore slang for estimate), etc.....(hahaha). I never alway get the right measurements.

My other fans are my two very good friends in Tennessee and Texas (he he he-you know who you are). They think my blog look beautiful but I think they are attracted by the photo of the food. My American friends are better cooks than me and they are very encouraging in whatever I do. Simply love them and we love to talk about food. But I only let the two of them from my circle of overseas friends know about my blog, will let the others know when I am very confident of my blog. (ha ha ha)