Red Bean Kee Chang (Alkaline water rice dumplings) 红豆沙鹼水粽

We have a family gathering at our hometown on last Sunday. My sister requested my mother to teach her on how to make Kee Chang (Hokkien) or Gan Sui Chong (Cantonese) or alkaline water rice dumplings. A very basic rice dumplings served during Chinese rice dumpling festival. And our favourite way to enjoy is to dip it with kaya (coconut jam) ^_^. So i also take this opportunity to learn from my mother and also learn how to wrap from my elder sister who given clear instruction on how to wrap.

After I know how to wrap, it is kind of additive ^_^. So i decided to make Kee Chang again on my own, this time with red bean paste as filling .

If you want to know how to wrap rice dumpling, you can refer to my earlier Chicken curry rice dumpling post. As taught by my mother, when you wrap Kee Chang, do not tie it too tight, let it loosen a bit unlike Bak Chang where you have to tie it tightly and secure properly. Also i didn't separate normal rice and glutinuous rice, when you buy good quality of glutinous rice, this step is not necessary. My mother asked to soak rice for overnight, but i didn't follow, only soak for 4hrs, and it work ok also, but just lacking a bit of "Kee" taste.

Red Bean Kee Chang (Alkaline water rice dumplings) 红豆沙鹼水粽

*makes 26 dumplings

30pcs bamboo leaves, soaked for 2 days, washed and change water in between for one time

500g Glutinous Rice

3tsp alkaline water

1tsp salt

1tbsp cooking oil

360g red bean paste ( I used homemade , this time cooked with skin and sweeter)

some grass strands to tie the dumplings, soak in water to soften

Method

1. Wash glutinous rice and add enough water to cover the rice (not too much over). Add alkaline water and mix with rice till evenly. Leave it soaked for 4 hours or preferably overnight.
2. Discard away alkaline water and wash glutinous rice for few times until water runs clear. At this stage, the colour of rice still look pale yellow (colour get deeper after cooked).Drain the rice using colander. Once rice well drained, add in salt and cooking oil and give a good stir.
3. Then you can start to wrap the dumpling. First add a small spoon of rice then followed by a small spoon of red bean paste. Top with rice to cover the red bean paste then wrap accordingly.
4. Once dumplings are wrapped, trim off the excess grass strands and bamboo leaves. Then using a big pot, cook ¾ pot of water. Once water is boiled, add 1tbsp cooking oil then lower down the rice dumplings in hot water and hot water must fully cover the dumplings, let it cook (water must boiled ) for at least 1 ½ hr to 2 hours (in between add hot water when necessary).
5. Once dumplings are done, remove from the water and hang it up to air dry at least for 1hour before enjoyed. Store in room temperature if consume within 3 days otherwise store in the fridge for longer storing period.

Recipe by Sonia a.k.a Nasi Lemak Lover