Hokkien Dumplings

Ingredients
# 500g glutinous rice, washed and soaked overnight
# 100g black-eyed beans, soaked
# 2 tbsp oil
# 2 tbsp sesame oil
# 2 tbsp chopped shallots
# 1 tbsp chopped garlic
# Dried bamboo leaves and hempstring, soaked

Seasoning (A)
# 1¾ tbsp light soy sauce
# 1 tsp Chinese five spice powder
# ½ tsp pepper
# 1 tsp thick soy sauce
# 1 tsp sugar

Filling
# 115g dried chestnuts
# 8 dried Chinese mushrooms, soaked and halved
# 250g deboned chicken thigh meat, cut into bite-sized pieces
# 10 salted egg yolks
# 50g dried shrimps, soaked and coarsely chopped
# 1 tsp chopped shallots
# 2 tbsp oil
# ½ cup water

Seasoning (B)
# 1½ tbsp Chinese five spice powder
# 1¾ tsp salt
# 2 tbsp sugar
# 1 tsp oyster sauce
# ½ tsp pepper
# 1½ tbsp rice wine (optional)
# 1¾ tsp thick soy sauce

Method
Heat oil and sesame oil in a wok and fry shallots and garlic until golden and fragrant. Add rice, beans and seasoning (A) to mix. Dish out and set aside.

To make the filling: Soak chestnuts for about an hour. Put them in a saucepan. Add more than enough water to cover and boil until tender.

Marinate chicken and mushrooms with seasoning (B). Heat oil in a wok and fry shallots and dried shrimps until fragrant. Add marinated chicken mixture and water then bring to a boil and cook for 10 minutes until gravy is reduced. Add chestnuts to mix. Dish out and set aside.

Take two bamboo leaves, fold into a cone and scoop 2 tbsp rice into the cone. Add some filling ingredients and a piece of salted egg yolk and cover with more rice. Fold the leaves over then secure with hempstring. Finish up with the rest of the ingredients.

Cook dumplings in a pot of water. Add 1 tbsp of salt and boil for 2-2¼ hours.