Black and White Glutinous Rice Dumplings

Ingredients

300g black glutinous rice 650g glutinous rice 100g split green peas Dried bamboo leaves, boiled, washed and soaked Hemp strings Pandan leaves, washed and cut into 3–4cm long 200g candied winter melon, diced. 100g dried Chinese mushrooms, diced. 75g lotus seeds, soaked for 1 hour 3–4 tbsp oil Filling: 1 tbsp minced shallots 1 tbsp minced garlic 40g dried prawns, pounded 1.5cm cekur roots, cleaned, smashed and pounded 1 tbsp preserved bean paste (tau cheong) 2 ½ tsp coriander powder, mixed with a little water into a paste Seasoning: 1 tsp light soy sauce 2–3 tbsp sugar 1 tsp salt 1 tbsp dark soy sauce 2 tsp pepper Method To prepare rice, soak both types of rice and split green peas separately overnight with an addition of 1 tsp salt to each. Drain and add 2 tbsp oil and 1 tbsp sugar to each type of glutinous rice and set aside. To prepare filling, heat oil in a wok and stir-fry shallots, garlic and dried prawns until golden brown and fragrant. Add coriander powder paste, cekur and bean paste and fry until fragrant. Add mushrooms, winter melon and lotus seeds and mix in seasoning to taste and combine. To wrap dumpling, take two cleaned bamboo leaves and fold at the centre to form a cone. Line cone with 1 ½–2 tbsp glutinous rice mixture. Add in 1 tsp split green peas and 1 tbsp filling mixture. Cover with glutinous rice mixture again and top up with a pandan leaf. Using fingers, press down the rice to make it compact. Fold bamboo leaves over to form a pyramid shape and tie tightly with a length of hemp string. Bring dumplings to boil for 3–4 hours or pressure cook for 50–60 minutes until cooked through. Remove and hang up to dry.