SEPANG: A total of 17 non-Chinese learn about Chinese culture and wrap Chinese dumplings for the first time.

Organised by the Sungai Pelek state assemblyman Lwi Kian Keong and Sepang Municipal councillor Cheong Wai Shon, a Madani Dumpling Competition with an added event held for the non-Chinese to experience wrapping dumplings.

The event started with Chinese contestants wrapping the dumplings on the spot while the Malays and Indians learned from them.

Nor Mahani, one of the participants is excited as the glutinous rice dumplings wrapped by the Chinese is different from the Malay dumplings known as ketupat.

“To me this is new skills. Apart from wrapping dumplings I learn about Chinese culture too,’’ she said.

Nor Mahani joined the event with her husband Mohamad Faiz.

For Komathy, this is her first time learning how to wrap dumplings.

Married to a Chinese, she is grateful to have the opportunity to learn how to wrap the dumplings.

Komathy brought two family members to participate in the event.

Another participant, Sabashini, said it looked simple and easy to wrap the dumplings but not.

This is her first time wrapping dumplings and she would be practicing more at home.

At the end of the event, all participants received an angpow each.

Also known as chang in Hokkien or zongzi in Mandarin,  glutinous rice dumplings are a staple for Dragon Boat Festival, otherwise known as Duan Wu Festival to commemorate poet Qu Yuan, who drowned himself after his recommendations were not accepted by the ruler which led to the fall of the state about 1,000 years ago.

People who learned about his death made glutinous rice dumplings wrapped in bamboo leaves and threw them into the rice in a gesture to stop fish from feeding on his remains.

In Malaysia, one of the festival’s highlights is savouring the dumplings with family and friends while boat racing competition is held.

The dumplings are made of glutinous rice stuffed with a variety of ingredients such as beans, salted egg yolk, mushroom and others.