Zongzi is a traditional Chinese delicacy consumed during the Dragon Boat Festival, which falls on 31 May this year.
These pyramid-shaped sticky rice dumplings are filled with savoury or sweet ingredients and wrapped in either bamboo or reed leaves. Here's a simple guide to making them at home:
Ingredients
- Bamboo or reed leaves (soaked overnight)
- Glutinous rice (soaked for 4-6 hours)
- Fillings of your choice (traditional fillings include marinated pork, salted egg yolk, sweet dates or red bean paste)
- Cotton string or straw for tying
A zongzi wrapping workshop was held at Highland Park Library on 18 May to celebrate China's Dragon Boat Festival. Photo: RNZ / Yiting Lin
Method
- Soak the leaves in water overnight.
- Rinse the soaked leaves and wipe them clean. Overlap two leaves to create a sturdy cone.
- Spoon a layer of glutinous rice into the cone, add your chosen filling, then cover with another layer of rice. Leave space at the top to fold the leaves over.
- Press the contents down firmly, fold the leaves tightly into a triangular or rectangular shape and secure with string to keep the dumpling intact during cooking.
- Boil the wrapped zongzi in water for 2-3 hours, or pressure-cook for about 1 hour, until the rice is fully cooked. Let the dumplings cool slightly before serving.
Examples of the finished product. Photo: RNZ / Yiting Lin
Zongzi can be enjoyed warm or at room temperature.
