zhong zi

Learn how to make these delicious pockets of goodness - a traditional family recipe!

Bamboo Sticky Rice (Zongzi, Joong 咸肉棕)

lb glutinous / sticky rice

pork

bamboo leaves

lb peeled, split mung beans

oz peanuts

oz large dried shrimp

Chinese sausage

mushrooms

cotton string

salt

0.5 tsp five spice powder

tbsp light soy sauce

chicken bouillon

Shaoxing cooking wine

tsp sugar

olive oil

Overview

Prepare pork belly

Cut the pork belly into roughly 1 inch pieces. 

Prepare bamboo leaves

When preparing our dried bamboo leaves, our main goals are to:

Prepare the filling

A few hours before we’re ready to start wrapping and cooking, we’ll wash, soak, chop, and flavor our remaining ingredients.

Assemble the dumplings

Preface: this part is the hardest to describe in written words, so I highly recommend watching our video for this important section.

Boil for 3 hours

Finally, we'll load up a big pot with our joong, and fill it with cold water.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8mwimImAFwg&&list=PLvd5bo3J-_kq4FcYVCOK6ZR87dCGDqrSH&index=2&t=0s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8mwimImAFwg&&list=PLvd5bo3J-_kq4FcYVCOK6ZR87dCGDqrSH&index=2

This year I decided to also make my most favorite food ever that my grandma made for me, the awesome and incredible Red Bean Paste Zong Zi 豆沙粽子.  My. Favorite. Food. Ever!

Red Bean Paste Zong Zi Rice Dumpling  紅豆沙粽子

glutinous rice

red bean paste

straw ties

Soak your bamboo leaves and straw ties over night in water. Once pliable pour out soaking water and add fresh water.  Cut off the hard tips at the base of the bamboo leaf.  Keep soaked in cool water as you work.

Rinse the rice and soak an hour in cool water.  Pour out the water.

Shape your red bean paste into 2.5 inch long and 3/4 inch wide rolls. Cover and place in refrigerator to allow to firm up for 1/2 hour.

Take two bamboo leaves and put them side by side, overlapping.  Fold bottom up to make a pocket.

Holding this pocket together with one hand, use the other hand to scoop 3 tbsp rice into the pocket, spreading it out 3 inch from the base up, leaving a bit more at the bottom.

Place your prepared red bean paste roll onto the rice about 3/4 inch up from the base.  Then spoon over about 3-4 tbsp more of the glutinous rice, barely covering all the the red bean paste and allowing a bit more rice on the top.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uRCVs-X1uxQ

Learn how to wrap red bean paste zong zi with bamboo leaves.  It's a skill that I learned from my grandmother who was famous for her zong zi!

Top 3 zhong zi recipes from across the web

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Bamboo Sticky Rice (Zongzi, Joong 咸...

Bamboo Sticky Rice (Zongzi, Joong 咸...

Red Bean Paste Zong Zi Rice Dumplin...

Top 3 zhong zi recipes from across the web

The most viewed zhong zi recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Bamboo Sticky Rice (Zongzi, Joong 咸...

Bamboo Sticky Rice (Zongzi, Joong 咸...

Red Bean Paste Zong Zi Rice Dumplin...

The most viewed zhong zi recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine