From The Straits Times    |

Makes 10
INGREDIENTS
For the rice:
600g glutinous rice, soaked for 1 hour and drained
2 tsp salt
1 tbsp light soya sauce
3 tbsp peanut oil
1 tbsp dark soya sauce

For the filling
6 tbsp peanut oil
120g dried shrimps, soaked until soft
3 tbsp XO sauce
1 tbsp Nonya sambal belacan
600g roast pork belly, cut into bite-sized pieces
150g candied winter melon*, finely chopped
5 tbsp light soya sauce
2 tbsp dark soya sauce
1 tsp five spice powder

For the wrapping:
40 bamboo leaves*, soaked in hot water for 1 hour and drained
Hemp string*, soaked in hot water for 1 hour and drained

*Candied winter melon can be found at Chinese medicine shops and dried-goods stores; bamboo leaves and hemp string are available at supermarkets.

DIRECTIONS
1 Heat a wok. Add the ingredients for the rice and fry over medium heat until golden-brown and fragrant. Set aside to cool.
2 Wash the wok. Heat 6 tbsp of peanut oil then stir-fry the shrimp for about 1min until fragrant. Stir in the XO sauce and sambal belacan, then add the rest of the filling ingredients and fry for 5min, until fragrant. Set aside to cool.
3 Criss-cross two bamboo leaves and fold them so they form an inverted cone with the ends of the leaves pointing upwards.
4 Place 2 tbsp rice in the cone. Press the rice into the tip and against the sides of the cone, creating a depression in the middle.
5 Place 2 tbsp filling in the depression and on top of the rice.
6 Top with 2 tbsp rice, pressing gently to pack the ingredients together tightly.
7 Place two leaves along opposite sides of the cone.
8 Place one leaf on top of the rice.
9 Fold over the leaves at the sides to get a flat surface (that will be the dumpling base).
10 Fold over the ends sticking out to get a pyramid-shaped dumpling.
11 Wrap hemp string around the dumpling and tie a firm knot to secure it. Repeat with the remaining leaves, rice and filling.
12 Boil dumplings for 5 hours then drip-dry. Serve immediately or keep refrigerated.

TIP: Work with smaller bamboo leaves as they’re easier to fold and hold in one hand. 

Recipe courtesy of Chef Simon Poon from Intercontinental Singapore, 80 Middle Road.

This article was originally published in Simply Her June 2014.