Providing a nostalgic link to one's Chinese roots, bak zhang, zong zi, nom chang, ma chang or sticky rice dumplings are widely eaten in Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Cambodia, Myanmar, the Philippines, and anywhere Chinese migrants might have put down roots
Romantically associated with the poet Qu Yuan, who chose a watery death when his beloved kingdom was invaded by enemy forces, zhang was allegedly invented to serve two purposes: to prevent fish from feasting on Yuan's corpse, and to appease the poet's restless spirit. As legend goes, the dumpling's pyramid shape is deliberately complex—all the better to dissuade the river dragon from devouring Yuan's offerings. As an extra precaution, the villagers designed their boats to resemble even fiercer dragons—thus was born the Dragon Boat Festival, a show of stamina staged during the summer solstice.
It isn't just rowers who get to flex their muscles this time of year; Chinese chefs get to show off their skills at the stove. The venerated art of zhang is a laborious process mastered by few, hence their high sales volume annually.
The Venerated Art Of Zhang
So fluid and rapid were her hand movements that they reminded her grandchildren of hummingbirds in flight. Every functional fold, every snip of the scissors, and every calculated crease was carried out in a half-trance borne of habitude. Prior to that, glutinous rice had to be soaked, pork marinated, beans rinsed, and chestnuts cleaned.
Not unlike Christmas cakes (eg. Panettone, Stolen and Yule logs) that are served throughout the month of December, sticky rice dumplings are too good a treat to be eaten in the singular. Few can actually wait until the fifth day of the fifth month of the lunar calendar to unwrap their lotus leaf parcels; zhang is eaten as soon as they are steamed. They last for months in the freezer, and feel like a godsend whenever you're ravenous.
Most Chinese families have their own fiercely guarded zhang recipe, but if the memory of its taste is lost to you, seek out a slice of nostalgia in the following restaurants' versions:
