24kg ba chang (rice dumpling) makes it to the record book
June 19th 2007 02:36
By YIP YOKE TENG
Photo by ONG SOON HIN
THE fifth day of the fifth lunar month is a day dedicated to rice dumplings by the Chinese community but continuous efforts are still needed to uphold the tradition.
This year, such an endeavour was carried out in a big way, literally.
Developer Dolomite Corporation Bhd unveiled the country's largest rice dumpling as it launched the first phase of the Dolomite Business Park at Batu Caves.
The pyramid-shaped dumpling measured 2m long by 2m wide and 1.2m-high. It weighted 24 kg and was equivalent to the size of 8,000 normal glutinous rice dumplings.
The RM10,000 delicacy was dished out by a total of 108 employees, who were spilt into 18 groups to cook and flavour the ingredients separately.
Engineers were also roped in to make an 830kg mould to support the bak chang, and a crane was required to put the gigantic dumpling into a special cooker in which it was boiled for 18 hours.
It was a halal dumpling made of glutinous rice, chicken, dried shrimp, chestnut, mushroom and mung beans, and people were invited to taste it.
However, the day's heavy down-pour affected the turnout slightly.
Deputy Home Affairs Minister Datuk Tan Chai Ho, who officiated at the event, said the feat was an act of patriotism that would remind one of the very meaning of the festival, which comme-morates the patriot and poet Qu Yuan of the Chu Kingdom during the Warring States period (about 480B.C. to 221B.C.).
“You need to have great cou-rage and determination to achieve such a remarkable feat. Their efforts have gone beyond upholding Chinese traditions,” he said.
“It is a manifestation of perseverance, self-improvement and patriotism, which cannot be more relevant to us as we celebrate the country's 50th year of independence,” he added.
It was learnt that the company took two months to prepare the dumpling. Employees consulted chefs specialising in dumplings and tasted numerous versions to produce the best they could. They also tried making smaller dump-lings that weighed 5kg, 10kg and 15 kg.
The process started from 8.30am the day before the launch, and the dumpling was boiled from 7pm.
“We are doing this to encourage the Chinese to conserve their rich traditions,” said the group's managing director Lew Cheong Keong.
Group chairman Tan Sri Mohd Jamil Johari was also present at the ceremony. Malaysia Book of Records art director Kenneth Wong was there to certify the record.
The dumpling was said to be the third largest in the world, with the other two created in China some years ago. It was served to attendees as well as 100 underprivileged children from Kuala Lumpur and Selangor.
The Dolomite Business Park, complete with a landscaped park consisting of lake, bridge, gazebo and basketball court, is a guarded commercial park installed with CCTV and perimeter fencing.
For the original news please click below:
24kg ba chang makes it to the record book
Photo by ONG SOON HIN
THE fifth day of the fifth lunar month is a day dedicated to rice dumplings by the Chinese community but continuous efforts are still needed to uphold the tradition.
This year, such an endeavour was carried out in a big way, literally.
Developer Dolomite Corporation Bhd unveiled the country's largest rice dumpling as it launched the first phase of the Dolomite Business Park at Batu Caves.
The pyramid-shaped dumpling measured 2m long by 2m wide and 1.2m-high. It weighted 24 kg and was equivalent to the size of 8,000 normal glutinous rice dumplings.
The RM10,000 delicacy was dished out by a total of 108 employees, who were spilt into 18 groups to cook and flavour the ingredients separately.
Tucking in: Guests helping to divide the dumpling after it was cut.
Engineers were also roped in to make an 830kg mould to support the bak chang, and a crane was required to put the gigantic dumpling into a special cooker in which it was boiled for 18 hours.
It was a halal dumpling made of glutinous rice, chicken, dried shrimp, chestnut, mushroom and mung beans, and people were invited to taste it.
However, the day's heavy down-pour affected the turnout slightly.
Deputy Home Affairs Minister Datuk Tan Chai Ho, who officiated at the event, said the feat was an act of patriotism that would remind one of the very meaning of the festival, which comme-morates the patriot and poet Qu Yuan of the Chu Kingdom during the Warring States period (about 480B.C. to 221B.C.).
“You need to have great cou-rage and determination to achieve such a remarkable feat. Their efforts have gone beyond upholding Chinese traditions,” he said.
“It is a manifestation of perseverance, self-improvement and patriotism, which cannot be more relevant to us as we celebrate the country's 50th year of independence,” he added.
It was learnt that the company took two months to prepare the dumpling. Employees consulted chefs specialising in dumplings and tasted numerous versions to produce the best they could. They also tried making smaller dump-lings that weighed 5kg, 10kg and 15 kg.
The process started from 8.30am the day before the launch, and the dumpling was boiled from 7pm.
“We are doing this to encourage the Chinese to conserve their rich traditions,” said the group's managing director Lew Cheong Keong.
Group chairman Tan Sri Mohd Jamil Johari was also present at the ceremony. Malaysia Book of Records art director Kenneth Wong was there to certify the record.
The dumpling was said to be the third largest in the world, with the other two created in China some years ago. It was served to attendees as well as 100 underprivileged children from Kuala Lumpur and Selangor.
The Dolomite Business Park, complete with a landscaped park consisting of lake, bridge, gazebo and basketball court, is a guarded commercial park installed with CCTV and perimeter fencing.
For the original news please click below:
24kg ba chang makes it to the record book
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