Kaolak Chang

Name: Kaolak Chang (Savoury Glutinous Rice Dumplings with Chestnuts and Pork)
Ingredients: 4 tablespoons dark soy sauce; 1 tablespoon light soy sauce; 50 pieces dried bamboo leaves; 1 roll raffia string, cut into strips of about 40 cm or 16 inches long; 40 g or 1½ ounces shallots, peeled and sliced finely; 30 g or 1 ounce garlic, peeled and minced; 1 teaspoon sugar; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 230 g or 8 ounces chestnuts (kaolak), shelled and chopped roughly; 230 g or 8 ounces chestnuts (kaolak), shelled and chopped roughly; ½ cup peanut oil; 600 g or 1 pound 5 ounces glutinous rice; 3 tablespoons sugar; 1 tablespoon salt; 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce; 1 teaspoon five-spice powder; 45 g or 1½ ounces garlic, peeled and pounded; 70 g or 2½ ounces dried shrimps, soaked in hot water for 30 minutes; 150 g or 5 ounces shallots or small red onions peeled and sliced finely; 150 g or 5 ounces shallots or small red onions peeled and sliced finely; 600 g or 1 pound 5 ounces pork leg fillet; 70 g or 2½ ounces Chinese mushrooms, soaked in hot water for 30 minutes

Savoury Glutinous Rice Dumplings with Chestnuts and Pork

Preparation info

Makes
6 to 10
Servings

Difficulty
Medium

Appears in

Growing Up In A Nonya Kitchen

By Sharon Wee

Published 2012

About

This is my favourite. The Nonya kueh chang is special because of its blue rice and sweet yet savoury taste, but my mother’s kaolak chang felt substantial with its filling of chestnuts, pork, dried shrimps and Chinese mushrooms. The variance in texture also titillates the tastebuds.

Ingredients

Filling

70 g or 2½ ounces Chinese mushrooms, soaked in hot water for 30 minutes
600 g or

Main course

Method

Filling

Can be made a day ahead

Drain the Chinese mushrooms and squeeze dry. Discard the hard stems. Slice the mushrooms thinly, about 0.5 cm or ¼ inch in width.
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Turn heat down to medium. Cook the pork in the boiling water for 30 to 40 minutes until tender. Drain