Tradition comes before rising costs
Just the right amount of everything: Quah will not compromise on traditional taste when making her glutinous rice dumplings. —KT GOH/ The Star
GEORGE TOWN: Despite the rising prices of ingredients, rice dumpling maker Quah Eng Hwa will never compromise on its traditional taste.
The 75-year-old ensures her dumplings – also known as chang in Hokkien and zong zi in Mandarin – are packed with the requisite ingredients.
These include glutinous rice, pork belly, dried mushrooms, salted egg yolk, chestnut and dried shrimp, which are seasoned with five-spice powder, soy sauce and sugar.
It is then wrapped in bamboo leaves in a pyramid shape.
The rice dumplings are a staple during the Dragon Boat Festival.
Also known as Duan Wu Festival, it is celebrated on the fifth day of the fifth month of the Chinese lunar calendar, which falls tomorrow.
'I've been making bak chang for more than 20 years and cannot imagine reducing the portion of ingredients as that would affect the taste.
'The recipe comes from my mother. It's been passed down the family for generations and I don't want to break the tradition,' Quah said.
She said that relatives and friends will order her dumplings, adding that it is not for commercial sale. Even so, good word-of-mouth means the orders come pouring in.
In most years, the demand can exceed a thousand pieces. As a result, she had to rope in her daughter Jolene Chee, 45, to help.
Oftentimes, Chee's own children also lent a hand with simpler tasks, making it a multi-generational effort. They do it all from their residence in George Town.
The family only produces two types – the traditional version with pork belly, and an alternative with chicken for those who prefer lean protein.
'This year, we only accepted orders for about 400 pieces and did not do any promotion on social media.
'It's quite time-consuming and labour-intensive. But hearing the good feedback from everyone makes it all worthwhile.
'Most of those who order say ours is one of the better bak changs available because of the traditional taste, and that keeps them coming back for more every year.
'You need all the ingredients in the proper ratios for the correct taste.
'For example, without the proper amount of pork belly, you won't get the rich flavour,' Quah said.
The mother and daughter duo never imagined their bak chang becoming popular.
'In the beginning, I only made it for the household and shared some extras with neighbours.
'They liked it and word spread; more people wanted to try it and things just took off from there,' Quah added.
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