Doong (Chinese Tamales)
Doong (Chinese Tamales)
1 lb. pkg bamboo leaves
5 lb. sweet rice
2-3 lb. green mung beans, split or whole
2 lb. fresh pork with skin if possible (bacon part)
1 lb. ham, fatty pieces
1 lb. lop cheung
1 lb. lop meat (Chinese bacon)
1 lb. chestnuts (fresh or dried)
1 dozen salted eggs
salad oil, salt, borax (lye water is the same as Pang sa or vinegar)
kite string, scissors, large pot with cover
Advance preparation:
Leaves - boil leaves in big pot of lye water. Add 2 big T. of lye water or vinegar for each 1 lb. leaves. Rinse and wash leaves individually to remove sand and dirt. Soak in water until ready for use.
Rice - wash rice 2 days ahead of time. Leave soaking in water until ready to use.
Beans - if using whole beans, wash several times and soak overnight. If using split beans, wash and rinse off as much as the green hulls as possible. This is a tedious process and may require many rinses. This can be done the same day or the day before. Don't soak split mung beans too long or they will get water-logged.
Pork - cut fresh pork into chunks about 3"x1"x1/2". Salt each piece, stack neatly and refrigerate overnight.
Ham - cut ham in bite size strips. Each piece should have some fat on it.
Lop cheung and lop meat - cut into small strips
Chestnuts - shell fresh chestnuts and remove all hulls from nut meat. If using dried chestnuts, soak in water overnight.
Preparing to assemble:
Rinse and drain leaves. Drain rice. Add 1/2 t. borax and 2 t. salt or more for 5 lb rice. Mix well. The borax is to keep the rice from sticking to the leaves. Too much borax makes the rice cook up hard. Drain beans well. Salt to taste, mixing well. Saute chestnuts in hot oil and salt for a few minutes. If using dried shrimp, saute them also. Peel salted eggs and separate the whites. Cut each yolk into 2-3 pieces, add 1-2 T. oil and toss lightly. Arrange all ingredients on table. Have scissors and kite string ready.
Assembling:
Fold a large leaf to form a cup-like boat. Put 2-3 T. rice into folded leaf. Add 1-2 T of beans, add meat, shrimp, egg and nut ingredients in desired quantities. Cover with more beans and rice, wrap additional leaves around for depth. Fold ends of leaves over to cover rice and form a neat bundle, then tie tightly with string before it falls apart. Follow same procedure until all main supplies are exhausted. Makes approximately 2 dozen doongs.
Cooking:
Have a large pot of boiling water ready. Put assembled bundles in water, make sure they are completely covered with water. Bring to a boil and reduce heat. Make sure it continues to boil. Add more boiling water if necessary. Boil for six hours.
