Vegetarian-Style Nyonya Dumplings

Ingredients
500g glutinous rice, soaked for 2 to 3 hours and drained
3 tbsp split green peas (mung beans), soaked for 1 hour, drained
2 tbsp oil
30 dried bamboo leaves, soaked till soft and cleaned
Hemp strings, soaked

Seasoning (A)
1 tbsp salt
1 tsp pepper
2 tbsp oil

Filling (finely ground)
5 shallots
3 cloves garlic
1 tbsp galangal
1 tbsp cekur roots

Seasoning (B)
2 tbsp coriander powder
1 tbsp pepper
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
2 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp dark soy sauce
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp chicken stock granules
125g candied melon (tung kwa), coarsely chopped
3 tbsp ground peanuts, coarsely chopped
2 dried mushrooms, soaked and finely chopped
2 pandan leaves, cut into 15 pieces of 3cm lengths

Method

Marinate glutinous rice and split green peas with seasoning (A) for 1 to 2 hours. Set aside. Heat oil in a wok and fry ground ingredients till aromatic. Add mushrooms and stir-fry well. Stir in candied melon, peanuts and seasoning (B). Fry and stir until well combined. Dish out and set aside. Fold two bamboo leaves into a cone, put a piece of pandan leaf at the base of the cone, then add one tablespoon of glutinous rice and one tablespoon of filling. Top up with another tablespoon of glutinous rice. Wrap dumpling into a pyramidal shape and secure with hemp string. Fill half a deep pot with water, cover, and bring to a boil over medium heat. Add dumplings and boil for 2 to 2 1/2 hours until cooked. Throughout the boiling process, keep topping up the water in the pot with hot water. Pressure Cooker method: Bring half a pot of water to the boil. Arrange dumplings in layers in the pressure cooker. Pour boiling water into the pressure cooker to cover the dumplings. Cook over a medium heat until the second ring appears. Reduce the heat and cook for 40 to 45 minutes. Remove and hang up the dumplings to remove excess water.

Thanks to Amy Beh