Sunday, 28 October 2012

Nyonya Chang (Glutinous Rice Dumplings Nyonya style)



Nyonya Chang...one of my favourite kinds.  Oooh, just thinking about the fragrant aroma of the "cekor" and "pandan" and the sweetness of the candied winter melon (and pork) makes my mouth water!

I was in Malacca not too long ago and went on a "quest" to search for "THE" Nyonya Chang! Alas, after buying from several eateries that sold it, only one came close to the taste I remembered. Two had used artificial food colouring instead of the (natural) blue colour from the Butterfly Pea flower.  "Cekor" was missing from one of them.

To make your own, you would need to have the time to do it.  And since you are taking the time to do it, why make so few?

What I needed was - glutinous rice, bamboo leaves (bought extra during the last "chang" season), candied winter melon, pork, mushrooms, pandan leaves (for extra fragrance), the blue flowers, cekor and spices.

 This is the "cekor" plant. The leaves are used for "Nasi Ulam".  For Nyonya Chang, the root (not shown here) is used.

 Glutinous rice soaked overnight.    

Using dried flowers of this plant to extract the blue colouring.
 
 Soaked overnight in the flower extract, this is how the glutinous rice turned out.
 
 Filling made of pork, candied winter melon, dried mushrooms, cekor and spices.
 
 
Assembled "chang" ready for the pot of boiling water!
 
Can you just imagine how delicious the aroma is, once these are cooked and ready to be eaten! 
Want some?
 

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