NEWS Halal Nyonya dumplings
TASTY: Muslim convert breaks cultural barriers with halal versions of the famous Nyonya ‘zhang’, writes Kelly Koh
MARZUKI Pang Chon Siong, 39, has turned to the humble “zhang” (glutinous rice dumplings) as a means to break seasonal cultural barriers and allow Muslims to savour the delicacy, which is a favourite of the Chinese community.
Marzuki, from Malacca, decided to offer homemade halal Nyonya
by using chicken filling instead of pork.
“I used to work as a salesman for a beverage company but decided to quit my job in February to try my hand at making halal
“This is because I noticed many halal Chinese-Muslim restaurants serve the usual Chinese dishes but not traditional Chinese delicacies,” he said at his rented house in Jalan Pandan Mawar in Malacca.
Marzuki, who became a
(Muslim convert) in 2012, said he had a challenging time learning to make Nyonya from scratch as he did not know how to cook.
“It took me two months to master making Nyonya The most challenging part was not in spicing the meat, but in wrapping and tying the before boiling them,” he said, adding that an enclosed wrapping was to avoid too much water from entering the which might dilute its seasonings.
What sets Marzuki’s rice dumpling apart from other Chinese glutinous rice dumplings is his generosity.
“I make a hole in the rice in the cone-shaped bamboo leaves, which I folded earlier, so that I can insert more filling before covering it with blue glutinous rice, which gets its colour naturally from
(bluepea),” he said.
Marzuki said he initially faced resistance when attempting to sell his
to Muslim eateries and homes as some were sceptical.
“Some were surprised when I appeared at their doorstep with my
“Despite showing them my convert card, they were still not convinced because I am Chinese,” he said, recounting an unpleasant experience of driving all the way to Jasin only to return home without selling a single dumpling.
However, he added that some Muslims were supportive, including fellow Muslim-converts.
“Some are amazed at my effort. They were surprised and eager to try when I explained to them that I am a Muslim and that my are halal.”
Since starting his business in Marzuki with the that is used to
Filling the leaves with the June, Marzuki said sales of his had slowly picked up.
“I even have a Facebook page under the name ‘Marzuki Kuih Zhang’ for those interested in placing their orders online,” he said, adding that his cost RM5 a piece.
Marzuki with his
Marzuki spends more than eight hours to prepare his which comprise glutinous rice, filling of minced chicken breast, dried mushrooms, candied winter melon and coriander seeds.
“Preparing the ingredients requires
The
halal Nyonya ‘zhang’. a lot of work and time. I spend three hours preparing the chicken filling, from mincing the meat, pounding the coriander seeds and soaking the dried mushrooms before cooking them,” he said.
Other than selling chicken Nyonya bean
Putting the
in. Marzuki also sells red at RM2 a piece and (no filling) at RM1.50 a
piece.
“I intend to offer a wider variety of
including fruit made of sago and fruits for older customers who may find glutinous rice hard to digest,” he said, adding that he also planned to sell
in the future.
Marzuki said his goal was to get a halal certification for his with the hope of exporting them one day, especially the Middle East.
“I will be so proud if my halal Malaysian Nyonya can one day be enjoyed by fellow Muslims in the Middle East.”
Meanwhile, Malaysian Islamic Welfare Organisation honorary secretary Dr Zainal Mohamed commended Marzuki on his effort, adding that the organisation would assist him in obtaining the halal certification.
“Marzuki must first find a separate premises to produce his and register as a company before we can help him apply for halal certification,” he said.