Qu Yuan was a famous poet who was also concerned about the fate of his government. Regrettably his stature aroused the jealousy of the king, who banished him to a remote area. The poet despaired of the government & its policies. When the state's capital was captured by enemies, they committed suicide by drowning himself in the Miluo River (on May 5th according to the Chinese lunar calendar). The Chinese people felt this loss deeply, as they was a much beloved poet. Local folk looked for him in the river, meanwhile dropping dumplings of sticky rice wrapped in bamboo or reed leaves in to the river in order to keep the fishes from attacking Qu Yuan's body.
Since that time, it is been customary on this day to enjoy Bak Cang dumplings as a memorial to the patriotic poet. In addition, there is as well as a festival called the Duan Wu or Dragon Boat Festival. In the event you ever visit China in the coursework of the Dragon Boat Festival, you cannot miss the nationwide custom of enjoying Bak Cang. You are positive to be impressed with the delicacy of this snack, & with the faint scent of the leaves imprinted on the skin of the dumplings.
I still keep in mind making & enjoying Bak Cang as a kid. Along with my brothers & sisters I hovered around the stove, begging to have a taste, unable to wait until they were cooked. They were raring to go since the food was made only times a year on May 5th. But now it is different. The Chinese Bak Cang is not only made for the Duan Wu Festival. It is obtainable at any time of the year. & local areas have developed their own styles & varieties of dumpling.
The main ingredient of Bak Cang is the sticky rice. The next most important ingredient is the bamboo or reed leaves which form the wrapping & make Bak Cang distinct from other types of Chinese dumplings. The filling often contains either dates or sweetened red bean paste. These are the ones I times had in my relatives. I am liking them much over the ones with meat but my father doesn't. They says the meat ones are terrific.
The leading place for the food is Jia Xing, an ancient town in Zhejiang province. Lots of different types of Bak Cang are made here. At Wu Fang Zhai, a monopolistic food processor, you'll find all the ingredients you need: the dumplings with meat, sweetened bean paste & chestnuts, lotus seeds, dates, & yolk of egg.
If the materials are obtainable to you, it is feasible for you to make Chinese Bak Cang at home; both for pleasure & possibly also to honor the great poet, Qu Yuan. Incidentally, in the year 2011 the Dragon Boat Festival happens to fall on June 6th, according to the solar calendar. You'd better prepare a net for the fish.
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