Bánh Bá Trạng (Bak Chang Dumplings)

Does anyone know why these pastries are called “dumplings”? I see it as more of a pastry. Anyways this is Chinese recipe as the name “Bá Trạng” is just the Vietnamese pronunciation of the Chinese name “Bak Chang”. The dumplings/pastries are usually put together to celebrate the 5^th day of the 5^th lunar month. The recipe itself is pretty easy, but very time consuming. I suggest marinating the meat, soaking the rice, chestnuts, mushrooms, beans, shrimp, lotus seeds and bamboo leaves overnight. Proceed to wrap and boil the dumplings the next day and serve the day after that.

For the Rice:
-1lb sweet rice (aka glutinous rice)
-3 tsp soy sauce
-1/2 tsp 5 spice powder
-1/2 tsp sesame oil
-1 tsp salt
-1 tsp sugar
-1 tsp oyster sauce
-2 tbs oil

*Wash and soak rice for a few hours or overnight. Heat oil and stir fry rice with all other ingredients until rice begins to become sticky and transparent (1/2 cooked 1/2 raw).

Filling:
-30 dried chestnuts
-30 shitake mushrooms (15 if using large mushrooms)
-100g mung beans (peeled and split)
-100g dried shrimp
-100g dried lotus seeds
-30 salted egg yolks
-3 Chinese dried Chinese sausages
-1 1/2lb pork or chicken (boneless and skinless)
-4 cloves garlic
-2 shallots
-1/2 tsp 5 spice powder
-1/2 tsp sesame oil
-1 tsp pepper
-1/2 tsp salt
-2 tsp sugar
-1/2 tbs oyster sauce
-2 tsp soy sauce
-75 dried bamboo leaves

*Mince garlic and shallots. Cut meat into 30 pieces and mix with garlic, shallots, and all other spices and seasonings; marinate overnight. Soak chestnuts, mung beans, lotus seeds, mushrooms and dried shrimp overnight. Cut mushrooms into small pieces (30, if using large mushrooms). Soak bamboo leaves overnight, wash and wipe dry. Slice sausage into 10 slices.

What to Do:
Take 2 ½ bamboo leaves and roll to form a funnel shape. Add 1 tsp rice followed by 1 chestnut, 1 salted egg yolk, 1 piece of sausage, 1 mushroom, a pinch of dried shrimp, a pinch of mung beans, a few lotus seeds, and a piece of meat. Add more rice on top to cover the filling. Pat everything down using the back of a spoon. Fold the edges of the leaves over to completely cover the rice/dumpling (you should get a triangular cone shape). Tie with kitchen twine. Boil for 3 hours, soak and wash dumplings in cold water for 10 mins after boiling and hand to “dry” for at least 2 hours before serving.