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Unwrapping Bak Chang: Differences Between Hokkien, Teochew, Nyonya And Other Rice Dumplings (Updated May 2025)

  • Lifestyle
  • 1 year ago
  • SilverStreak Editorial Team

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Unwrapping Bak Chang: Differences Between Hokkien, Teochew, Nyonya And Other Rice Dumplings
Credit: The Fullerton Hotel
It seems like every year, there’s a new fancy filling like foie gras or Irish duck that sneaks its way into the tried-and-tested formula of the once-humble bak chang, a steamed rice dumpling with distinct differences depending on which dialect group you or your favourite purveyor belong to.
The Hokkiens, Teochews, Cantonese and Nyonyas each produce their own version of the sticky festive treat, available all year round but especially in demand during the yearly Dragon Boat Festival, which falls on the fifth day of the fifth month of the Chinese lunar calendar.
The legend goes that poet Qu Yuan, a court advisor of the state of Chu from China’s Warring States period, threw himself into Hunan’s Miluo River when the Southern Chinese state was invaded by neighbouring Qin.
Local villagers rushed to save the well-loved minister, rowing out on dragon boats to the middle of the river and throwing rice dumplings into its waters to attract fish away from his body. That act eventually became the tradition we know today.
This year, that special day falls on 10 June, which means that you’ve got until then to unwrap the differences between traditional bak chang styles and their fillings. Read on for an explanation of the different types of bak chang you’ll usually find in Singapore, plus a handy cheat sheet on where to find them this Dragon Boat Festival.
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Cantonese Bak Chang
Unwrapping Bak Chang: Differences Between Hokkien, Teochew, Nyonya And Other Rice Dumplings - Cantonese Bak Chang
Credit: Kim Choo Kueh Chang
The hallmark of a Cantonese bak chang is in its use of green mung beans, which combined with other ingredients like braised pork belly, mushrooms and Chinese sausage, lead to rice dumplings both strongly savoury and indulgent.
You can also find upmarket “Hong Kong-style” versions by hotel restaurants here, brimming with expensive ingredients like dried scallop, oyster, Jinhua ham or abalone in a heftier-than-usual, rectangular-shaped parcel.

Where to get it
The longstanding Kim Choo Kueh Chang, best known for their Nyonya-style rice dumplings, also offer up a mean Cantonese Bean Chang laden with shiitake mushrooms, chestnuts, fatty pork and mung beans for $7 a pop. They've closed pre-order slots due to overwhelming demand, so you'll have to head down to their Joo Chiat shop to get your hands on the stuff yourself.

Hokkien Bak Chang
Unwrapping Bak Chang: Differences Between Hokkien, Teochew, Nyonya And Other Rice Dumplings - Hokkien Bak Chang
Credit: InterContinental Singapore
The first noticeable difference between Hokkien bak chang and other rice dumplings is the colour of the glutinous rice – the grains are usually fried with dark soy sauce and five-spice powder, giving the dumpling a distinct dark-brown shade.
It offers a salty, savoury flavour profile thanks to stuffings like braised pork belly, salted egg yolk, dried shrimp and crunchy chestnuts within the pyramid-shaped package.

Where to get it
For some upmarket Dragon Boat Festival flair, get your Traditional Hokkien-style Rice Dumpling from Man Fu Yuan at InterContinental Singapore, brimming with five-spice marinated pork belly, chestnuts, mushrooms and dried shrimp at $22.80 per bak chang.

Teochew Bak Chang
Unwrapping Bak Chang: Differences Between Hokkien, Teochew, Nyonya And Other Rice Dumplings - Teochew Bak Chang
Credit: Google image Sok Hwee Tay, 2023
Teochew bak chang is slightly sweet in flavour compared to Hokkien rice dumplings, with the most apparent difference being an added ingredient of sweet mung bean or red bean paste, wrapped in pork caul fat.
Other commonly found ingredients include braised pork belly, shiitake mushrooms, lotus seeds and Chinese sausage.

Where to get it
Joo Chiat Kim Choo – not to be confused with the aforementioned Kim Choo Kueh Chang – is where you can find this sweet-savoury version of the festive staple ($9.80 during festive season), featuring braised pork belly, chestnuts and dried shrimp set against homemade red bean paste.

Nyonya Bak Chang
Unwrapping Bak Chang: Differences Between Hokkien, Teochew, Nyonya And Other Rice Dumplings - Nyonya Dumpling
Credit: The Intan
The Nyonya influence on the group’s rice dumplings is readily apparent from the get-go, as the parcels are often wrapped in fragrant pandan leaves, as they are easier to find here than the usual bamboo ones.
Once unwrapped, the rice within is tinted blue by the essence of bunga telang (blue pea flower), another common ingredient in Nyonya dishes. A final stuffing of minced pork, candied melon strips and coriander powder heft and flavour the hearty bak chang.

Where to get it
An upmarket, intricately layered version of the locavore treat bearing minced lean pork, winter melon strips and a spice blend of roasted coriander seeds ($11.80) can be had at Peranakan museum-turned-seasonal rice dumpling puveryor, The Intan. Just look at that delicate pale blue hue.

Kee Chang
Unwrapping Bak Chang: Differences Between Hokkien, Teochew, Nyonya And Other Rice Dumplings - Kee Chang
Credit: Raffles Hotel Singapore
Kee chang is a dessert rice dumpling with a distinct yellow tint from its preparation with lye water. It boasts sweet flavours with an alkaline aftertaste (think yellow noodles) that’s usually tempered with a generous dab of sugar syrup or gula melaka.
They usually come plain, though some spots serve them with sweet stuffings like red bean or lotus paste.

Where to get it
For a quintet of kee chang infused with the bright floral fragrance of fresh lemongrass ($28 for five pieces), head to Yi by Jereme Leung at Raffles Hotel Singapore. Dip it into their signature kaya, and enjoy a charmingly nostalgic hit of Southeast Asian flavours this Dragon Boat Festival.

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