Ngoi making glutinous rice dumplings at home in Johor Baru.
COSTLIER ingredients such as meat, salted egg yolks and rice have become a deciding factor for individuals who have opted not to make glutinous rice dumplings to celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival or Duan Wu Festival.
Housewife Lilian Tan, who has been making dumplings at home for years, said she stopped preparing them two years ago because of the rising cost of ingredients and the tedious process.
“To make the dumplings, one must first prepare the ingredients such as dried shrimps, black-eyed beans, meat and mushrooms, depending on the type of dumplings you make, so the overall cost of making them at home is high.
“I find it convenient to just buy the dumplings and spend my money on other ingredients to cook healthy meals for my family,” she said when interviewed.
The 43-year-old said the price of dumplings had gone up, ranging from RM8 to RM21 each, depending on the filling.
She would nevertheless buy some for her family to celebrate the festival today.
Chan Peng Lee, 65, also a housewife, has decided to make a small batch of red bean dumplings this year as it is less costly.
The grandmother of three said her family had been cutting down on meat consumption as a cost-saving measure amid the rising cost of living, especially since her children’s income was affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.
“I made the switch from making glutinous rice dumplings to red bean ones partly because of health reasons.
“I feel that the red bean version is healthier as I make my own red bean paste and savoury dumplings. Meat tends to be oilier and saltier,” she added.
Meanwhile, 59-year-old Ngoi Siew Fong, who works in the manufacturing sector, is keeping to her decade-old tradition of making homemade dumplings in conjunction with the festival.
“I never miss a chance to make the glutinous rice dumplings every year, using my late mother’s recipe, to give as gifts to my brothers and other loved ones.
“Although it takes me a whole day to make the dumplings, I still prefer making my own because I can customise them to suit my relatives’ preferences.
“For example, some of my relatives do not like mushrooms or salted egg yolks so I will omit or add other ingredients according to their liking.
“The only difference this year is that I cut down the amount of glutinous rice used as the prices of meat, mushrooms, chestnuts, bamboo leaves, rice and charcoal have all increased,” said Ngoi who uses a charcoal-fired stove to boil the dumplings.
The Duan Wu Festival is celebrated on the fifth day of the fifth month of the Chinese lunar calendar.
In Malaysia, one of the key highlights is savouring festive dumplings – known as chang in Hokkien and zong zi in Mandarin – with family and friends.
