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Hakka ‘Choy Ban’ 河婆客家之元宝菜粄

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Chai Mei Hong

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Ingredients

  • Fillings:

    Turnips, washed, peeled and grated
    Carrots, washed, peeled and grated
    Black fungus (optional), washed and soaked till expanded and softened
    Dried shrimps, washed and soaked to soften
    Minced meat
    Pork lard     猪油渣 (optional, if you have time to extract the oil. This will enhance the finished kueh)

  • Seasonings:

    Salt
    Sesame oil

  • Dough ingredients:

    300g Rice flour
    80g Tapioca flour
    1 tsp salt
    Pinch of sugar
    3 drops of rose pink colouring (optional)

    600g boiling water
    1 tbs cooking oil (any flavourless cooking oil)

    20g Tapioca flour (reserve flour 手粉 – may need more)

Methods

    * The following is my way of frying. You definitely can fry it your way.

    1. Heat up your wok. Add dried shrimps to remove residue water and prevent splatter. Push aside.
    2. Heat up some cooking oil in the same wok. Return the dried shrimps to the hot oil.
    3. Fry till very fragrant (important). Dish up without the oil.
    4. In the same wok, fry the minced meat till dry and slightly brown. Dish up.
    5. In the same wok, add some oil. Stir-fry the black fungus a while. Prepare to take cover! Dish up.
    6. In the same wok, heat up some cooking oil. Add turnips and carrots and stir-fry over high heat for about 5 minutes. Lower the heat.
    7. Add salt and sesame oil. Mix well.
    8. Add black fungus, minced meat and dried shrimps, pork lard if using. Mix thoroughly. Adjust taste accordingly to your preferred taste.
    9. Drizzle some more sesame oil if you want. Remove to a big bowl and let it cool completely before serving.

    Preparing the dough (by stand mixer):

    1. Add rice flour, tapioca flour, salt and sugar together. Mix well. If possible, sieve the dry ingredients.
    2. Transfer the dry ingredients in the mixer bowl. Drizzle 3 drops colouring. Switch on your mixer on low speed.
    3. Add in the hot water along the edges as the dough hook is mixing.
    4. Use a rubber spatula to scrape the side of the mixing bowl to bring the lumpy flour closer to the dough hook. Mix the flour and water till smooth.
    5. Add in the oil. Mix till incorporated.
    6. Transfer the semi-cooked dough to a floured work top.
    7. Give a few knead to smoothen the dough. If sticky, sprinkle some  reserve flour.
    8. Divide dough into equal portion. Cover with a cloth to prevent the dough from drying. Rolled into oval shape. Make a well in the centre of the dough like a nest.
    9. Using your thumb and index finger, widen the nest, thinning the edges and sides as you go along. Leave a thickness of about 0.5 mm at the bottom.
    10. Fill the nest with your fillings. Overlap the left and right flap to close the dough. Set aside. Continue with the rest of the dough.
    11. Arrange the shaped kueh on a greased tray. Steam in a wok with rapid boiling water on high heat for 12 minutes or till cooked.
    12. Serve hot or cold over a cup of piping hot MILO.

    Preparing the dough (by hand):

    1. In a big mixing bowl, add rice flour, tapioca flour, salt and sugar together. Mix well. If possible, sieve the dry ingredients.
    2. Pour the hot water along the edges of the bowl. Using a spatula, stir quickly to incorporate the flour and hot water. It will appear lumpy.
    3. Cover the bowl with a plate. Let it stand for about 10 to 15 minutes.
    4. Remove from bowl and transfer to a floured worktop. Knead in the cooking oil till well incorporated and smooth.
    5. Divide dough into equal portion. Cover with a cloth to prevent the dough from drying. Rolled into oval shape. Make a well in the centre of the dough like a nest.
    6. Using your thumb and index finger, widen the nest, thinning the edges and sides as you go along. Leave a thickness of about 0.5 mm at the bottom.
    7. Fill the nest with your fillings. Overlap the left and right flap to close the dough. Set aside. Continue with the rest of the dough.
    8. Arrange the shaped kueh on a greased tray. Steam in a wok with rapid boiling water on high heat for 12 minutes or till cooked.
    9. Serve hot or cold over a cup of piping hot MILO.