Nonya Rice Dumplings

Ingredients for the rice

2.1 kg glutinous rice

3 tablespoons salt

510 ml water

3 teaspoons pepper

425g oil

30-35 large screw pine leaves (8cmx55cm)

Ingredients for the filling

1.2kg lean pork

55g dried Chinese mushrooms

225 g preserved sugared winter melon

200 ml oil

55 g finely pounded garlic

225 g finely pounded shallots

1 rounded teaspoon salt

395 g sugar

2 tablespoons pepper

4 tablespoons dark soya sauce

6 tablespoons roasted ground coriander seeds

Method to prepare the rice

1. Soak the glutinous rice overnight. Drain and divide it into 3 equal parts.

2. Steam each part over boiling water for about 20 minutes. Make holes in the rice before steaming to let the water vapour out.

3. Remove glutinous rice to a saucepan. Dissolve 1 tablespoon of salt in 170 ml of water. Add 1 tablespoon of pepper and pour it around the steamed glutinous rice. Mix well.

4. Cover for 10 minutes and mix the oil evenly with the rice. Keep it warm in a saucepan with a tight-fitting lid.

5. Repeat step with remaining glutinous rice.

Method to prepare the filling

1. Place the pork in a saucepan. Pour in 850 ml of water and bring to the boil. Boil over medium to high heat for 20 minutes then remove pork.

2. Cool, dice and set the pork aside. Coninue boiling the stock till it is reduced by half.

3. Soak Chinese mushrooms and cut them into tiny cubes.

4. Dice the sugared melon.

5. Heat the oil in the wok and fry the pounded garlic and shallots, adding pork,salt, sugar, pepper and dark soya sauce. Stir in pan till the pork changes color.

6. Add stock, mushrooms and sugared melon. Continue cooking over medium heat for ½ an hour.

7. Now add the coriander powder and stir well. Reduce heat and simmer till filling is almost dry. Remove to a large bowl to cool.

8. Keep overnight before using the filling.

Method to wrap the dumplings

1. Take 1 broad or 2 narrow screwpine leaves. Fold from the centre to form a cone. Take a fistful of glutinous rice and line the sides.

2. Put 2 to 3 tablespoons of pork filling over the rice and cover neatly with more glutinous rice. Fold leaf over and tie the dumpling tightly with raffia or string.

3. Tie the dumplings in groups of ten and boil in water for 3 to 3½ hours.

4. Add 2 tablespoons of salt to the water.

5. To check whether the dumplings are cooked, unwrap one to see if glutinous rice is cooked and smooth. If it isn't, continue boiling them for another 30 to 45 minutes.

6. Hang the dumplings to drip dry for 1 to 2 hours, thus preventing sogginess.