The Chinese Dumpling Festival is the perfect time to plan your Malaysian getaway and indulge in one of the most delicious delicacies that can be found at any festival time. The Bak Chang or Zhong in Cantonese and Zhang in Hokkien. These are glutinous rice dumplings stuffed with various fillings, and wrapped in bamboo or lotus leaves. They can be triangle shaped, square or round. But the shape doesn’t matter, they are all delicious. Just ask anyone who had been here during festival time and tried them. And they can be sweet, spicy, savory or all of the above. It all depends on who you buy them from and what part of Malaysia they have been influenced by.
About The Festival
The Chinese Dumpling festival falls on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, so every year it’s calculated on a different date. For 2019, it will fall on June 7th. Alternately it’s called the Double Fifth festival or the Dragon Boat Festival in Penang.
It’s believed the festival originated during the Warring States period in China, when Qu Yuan, a well-loved poet, jumped into the Miluo river and drowned himself when his country fell to the enemy. The villagers jumped into their boats and raced out to find and salvage his body, hence the boat races. When they couldn’t find his body, they threw dumplings into the river for the fish to eat, so they wouldn’t eat his body.
An alternate version tells the story that the admirers of Qu Yuan dropped sticky rice bamboo wrappers into the river to feed him in the afterlife.
THE ZHONG
Though the origins of Zhong, points to Southern China, this heritage food is also well acclaimed across the Malaysian Chinese communities. The Kuala Lumpur (Cantonese speaking KL-ites) refer it as Zong, the Northern Penang name it Bak Chang in the local Hokkien dialect and the Baba-Nyonya Peranakan call this dish Chang. For the purposes of this post from here on out I’ll refer to the dumpling as the Zhong.
Some of the traditional and modern types of Zhong available are:
THE HOKKIEN HAM YUK ZHONG (肉粽) / BAK CHANG IN HOKKIEN DIALECT (肉粽)
Salty Meat Dumplings are typically filled with fatty pork belly marinated with five spice herb powders, salted egg yolks, dried shrimp, mushrooms and my favorite chestnuts. The glutinous rice is pre-fried with dark soya sauce to give it a dark brown colour.
THE CANTONESE ZHONG / LOK TAU ZHONG (绿豆粽)
Another savory Meat Dumplings, favoured by the Cantonese descendants are typically filled with leaner pork meat, yellow mung beans, salted egg yolks, mushrooms and chestnuts. This version is white or paler in colour, the difference with no dark soya sauce added. Occasionally it comes in the form of a pillow longitude shape.
NYONYA ZHONG (娘惹粽)
A specialty of Peranakan cuisine, the fillings are minced pork with candied winter melon, ground roasted peanuts and taucheo (Chinese soybean paste made from yellow soybeans). Traditionally the dumpling has a bit of blue rice coloured from the butterfly pea flower.
KAN SUI ZHONG (碱水粽)
Literally translated as “alkaline water Zong”, this is a dessert item or a snack for tea time. The glutinous rice is treated with lye water hence the distinctive yellow color. It’s usually plain, with no filling and if there are It’s a sweet stuffing, for example, red bean paste. It’s often complimented with sugar, gula melaka (Malay for palm sugar) or a delicious local coconut spread named kaya.
THE ULTIMATE GIANT ZHONG (WHICH CAN WEIGH UP TO 2 KG)
Savoury Meat Dumplings typically filled with fatty pork belly, duck meat marinated with five spice herb powder, roasted pork, salted egg yolks, dried shrimp, mushrooms and chestnuts. Someone once shared that it was a portion to feed and be shared amongst the family.
THE VEGETARIAN
There are few vegetarian choices from glutinous rice, to healthy grains (of brown rice, red rice or sticky millet) with soy cubes, mushroom, chestnut and black eye peas.
THE GRAND FINALE
This is a more modern version of the Giant Zong sold by the 5-6 stars hotels and the luxurious ingredients are its greatest prize. From Abalone, to Japanese dried scallops, to expensive quality mushrooms, various healthy and exotic rice grains, to truffles and anything that will lure the consumer to buy.
ZHONG IS FAMILY TIME
The process of making it is truly an art and takes many cumbersome steps, from purchasing the ingredients to preparation to frying, folding and steaming/boiling. For Malaysian families, everyone gets involved in making Zhong for the festival, and each one of us has our own role and individual strength or skill, for instance folding the bamboo leaves with stuffing and tying them up. We appreciate and respect each others’ roles, even those of the children. When I was a kid I was delighted to eat Zhong after witnessing and taking part in the hours and hours of work it took to make them.
The most delicious Zhong sold around KL would be freshly homemade from generation-old family recipes, which have been passed on from moms or grandmas. In my heart the best Zhong recipe by far comes from my late grandma, no one has and probably will be able to surpass that level of standard on the ‘delicious-Zhong meter.’ There are no shortcuts to traditional recipes and there are some things in life that are irreplaceable.
I attempted to make Zhong according to my grandma’s recipe a few months ago. I pulled some family members together and we got everything we needed and went to work. The outcome was a disaster. The taste, texture, and everything fell short of what I was used to.
There are a few stalls that sell them throughout the year, and they’re pretty good, but I am a little biased toward my family’s recipe, although that shouldn’t stop you from trying them at all. For the best Zhong however, visit us at festival time. That’s when you’ll get the classic recipes. Happy Tuen Ng Jit!
You might be able to sample a Zhong yourself when you are joining our Kuala Lumpur Street Food Tour or our Penang Street Food Tour, just ask your guide if it’s available and we’ll try our best to get you to taste one.
While the base ingredients to make this sweet Hari Raya dessert – coconut milk, cane sugar and rice flour – appear unassuming enough, in truth this is one of the most challenging recipes on this list. The cooking process involves continuously stirring the sticky mixture in a hot wok for nine hours. Then it is rolled, portioned out and individually wrapped.
All this effort does pay off beautifully at the end when you bite into an incredibly rich and flavourful dessert that’s as popular with adults as it is with children. Doldol can also be found in durian, soursop, apple, jackfruit, and milk flavours.
Interestingly, rendang contains natural preservatives due to its recipe which calls for a unique fusion of ground spices and coconut milk, which gives the dish a shelf life up to four weeks.
Lontong
Lontong is a combination of nasi impit, vegetables and meat, served together with a savory coconut milk base. Lotong can be eaten as a full meal since it has everything included in it.
Depending on the region it’s prepared in, there are several variations. Some cooks include peanuts in the gravy while others add tempeh or a hard-boiled egg. The bright orange coconut soup is usually served separately from the ingredients to avoid softening the rice cakes.
Serunding
This is a popular snack during Hari Raya and it’s a must try in my opinion. Its what we call a “meat floss” and can be made from any meat like beef, chicken, anchovy, prawn, and fish. The meat is seasoned and cooked until dry, sort of like a way to preserve it.
It can be eaten in many different ways too like a filling for pastries, on a bun or even as a burger.
Sayur Lodeh
Sayur Lodeh originated in Indonesia, but has made its way into Malaysia and we accepted with open arms. A great Hari Raya tradition, this is a hearty coconut stew made with a variety of vegetables like eggplant, green beans and long beans to name a few. It can also have tofu, temph or really anything the cook likes.
Sometimes tumeric can find its way into the dish so if you see a version that has a yellow tint to it, don’t be alarmed. It’s just a little extra flavor. Go for it.
Kuih-muih
What can I say about Kuih-muih? If you are into desserts and sweets as much as I am, you are going love this traditional, sugary Malay dessert. This is almost an unlimited collection of bite sized biscuits, cakes and jellies with an astounding array of flavors. Kids go crazy for them.
Asam Pedas
If a spicy tart fish stew sounds good to you (it does to me) then you will have to try Asam Pedas. This is a dish that is mainly found in homes on the Hari Raya table, however some restaurants will serve it during celebration time.
Again this is a stew that slow cooks for a long time as the broth and spices seep into the meat and you end up with a delicious meal.
Satay
Now satay is something can be found normally year round. Why si it on this list? Satay is meat on a stick (chicken, beef, lamb), grilled over charcoal to perfection and served with pineapple or sliced cucumbers and a spicy peanut sauce. Need I say more?
This is actually very popular during Hari Raya since it’s a great accompaniment to lumbong or ketupat.
The above list is just a sampling of some of the traditional foods you’ll find during Hari Raya month. If you are fortunate to be invited into a Muslim home to celebrate with them, they may have other family traditional dishes as well. Keep in mind, that even though the food is delicious and a lot of work goes into it, the food is only the medium to bringing families together during this celebration.
Enjoy Hari Raya As A Tourist
There are so many ways besides food to enjoy the month of Hari Raya as a tourist. Here are a few to think about.
Open House
A favorite way of many of our tourists is to get invited to an open house to experience first hand how to celebrate alongside a Muslim family and indulge in all the delicacies. It’s not difficult to make amazing Muslim friends in Malaysia and in their faith they do receive extra blessings for inviting a foreigner into their homes for food and celebration.
Even our government organizes a National Open House for the public to come and enjoy the food.
Shopping
Hari Raya is a time for new clothes and dressing to impress. As a tourist, you can definitely take advantage of the incredible savings during Hari Raya sales. So if you are visiting this time of the year, make sure to leave some space in your suitcase for what you will bring home.
More about Hari Raya (and tips on celebrating with the Muslims)
- Hari Raya lasts for the whole month
- Hari Raya Eidulfitri and Hari Raya Aiduladha is not the same celebration
- It’s rude to eat or drink while standing up
- Guys don’t shake hands with ladies in the house
- There are no strict rules on gifting
- Inauspicious colours are not a thing
- Don’t visit houses after 9 pm unless you are invited.
The celebration marks the end of Ramadan, the holy month of fasting and is a culmination of the month-long struggle towards a higher spiritual state. Ramadan holds special significance for Muslims, since the Quran, the book of Muslim scripture, was revealed during this month.
Fireworks are always a part of Hari Raya which can be both fun and dangerous. In some places fireworks have been banned, but there are always some around to get the real feel for Hari Raya.
Since it is a season of giving, you may hear about or encounter (or even get one yourself!) a “green packet”. These little packets are tokens given by the older generation to the young singles around them. What’s inside? Joy. It could be cash or some other trinket to bring luck and happiness.
Even though Hari Raya is a celebration, it still hold a special significance to the Muslim community and they take it just as seriously as they do with Ramadan. Charity is openly practiced especially on the last day of Ramadan and all through Hari Raya you can see families giving food and money to the poor or even inviting them into their homes so they can all celebrate together. Come and visit us in Malaysia during Hari Raya and you will surely get invited. Let’s eat!
