The Bak Chang Wrapping Process

Video June 10th, 2008

Wrapping a Bak Chang is no mean feat. You are dealing with 2 pieces of bamboo leaves or pandan leaves in hand, folding them into a cone-like shape, filling it with glutinous rice and other ingredients, wrapping it up into a pyramid-like shape and finally, tying them up using banana stem strings or reeds. Some use raffia strings (especially traders) but I am wary of possible leaching of chemicals during the cooking process.

The following video shows you how to wrap a Bak Chang. That’s my dad on the right hand side and my mum on the left. To start off, choose two leaves with the smooth side as the inner side and the rougher side of the leave on the outer side. Fold them to make a cone-like shape. Then, add glutinous rice to the bottom and make a simple well. Next, add the bak chang filling followed by more glutinous rice to almost fill up the whole cone. Insert a small piece of pandan leaf on the side. Wrap the Bak Chang just like how mum does it and tie them securely using the strings or reeds.

Watch the video for a step-by-step guide on how a Bak Chang is wrapped.


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Comments

  1. MyAvatars 0.2
    1
    Yozoranitesky
    June 10th, 2008 at 11:07 am

    dear pablopabla. thank you for sharing the video. i’ve been wanting to learn how to wrap chang for the longest time but none of the people i know can wrap chang themselves. i will definitely be watching this video to pick up the technique.. or die trying :)..hugs!

  2. MyAvatars 0.2
    2
    Pureglutton
    June 10th, 2008 at 5:50 pm

    Hi, that seems to be nyonya chang your parents were making. I make cantonese-style ones. Do check my blog out as I have posted some pics and guide on this :)

  3. MyAvatars 0.2
    3
    Sheng
    June 10th, 2008 at 10:30 pm

    Hi Pablo

    thanks for sharing this great video clip. It’s very useful for me, i will try to wrap the bak chang following your parents way of doing . They seem like experts in wrapping bak chang.

    carry on the great work !

    Cheers

    Jennie

  4. MyAvatars 0.2
    4
    reeseboston
    June 11th, 2008 at 5:41 am

    OMG! Bak Chang! Wanna send me some? I miss the Malaysian Bak Chang a great deal. The one they have here in Chinatown are….let just say very different from what I am used to.

  5. MyAvatars 0.2
    6
    buzzingbee
    June 11th, 2008 at 12:59 pm

    Hi
    good video. We made some bak chang too…but I only managed to snapped some photos.

    Btw, I linked your video/blog to my post…so that more can learn the “art” of wrapping it. Hehe. Hope you don’t mind.

  6. MyAvatars 0.2
    7
    pablopabla
    June 11th, 2008 at 1:40 pm

    Thanks everyone! I am glad the video is useful :D

    To be honest, I am not into making bak chang as I prefer cooking more than making little treats like these. Thankfully, my wife takes an interest in this and so, the family tradition passes on. I got two daughters and I do hope that they will learn the skills when they grow older ;)

  7. MyAvatars 0.2
    8
    Tuty
    June 12th, 2008 at 7:21 am

    Pablo, the most challenging thing for me is to tie the bak chang… I’ve got the hang of wrapping them, but tying the bak chang so that it stays put when they are boiled is another adventure.. I guess I have to watch your video is a real slow motion… to see if I can learn the right way to tie the bak chang.

    The bak chang filling looks delicious! Thanks Pablo.

  8. MyAvatars 0.2
    10
    pablopabla
    June 13th, 2008 at 8:52 am

    Tuty : I haven’t mastered the art of tying the bak chang as yet. I prefer taking a video of the art :D

  9. MyAvatars 0.2
    11
    ricky.nai.nakit
    June 13th, 2008 at 10:09 pm

    wah, be great founded great food here here. is great that home make, surecun when taste.

  10. MyAvatars 0.2
    12
    Kat
    June 17th, 2008 at 1:17 pm

    Great video, Pablo! Thanks so much for putting it up. I so so missed my late mother’s bakchangs, her hokkien & nyonya changs. Your video reminds me so much of how meticulous she was in making her bakchang especially the wrapping part. My Mom’s bakchangs were all the same size when she’s done with them! My Mom did the same thing with the pandan leaf in her nyonya chang also. Nyonya changs are my favorite changs.

  11. MyAvatars 0.2
    14
    pablopabla
    June 19th, 2008 at 2:05 pm

    ricky : Memang cun!

    Kat : It’s a dying art nowadays. Not many young people take up the trouble to learn to cook traditional food like this.

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  1. Buzzing Life :: Bak Chang :: June :: 2008
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