Zong Zi, or sticky rice dumplings wrapped in bamboo leaves, are one of those dishes that immediately transport me back to childhood.
Every year around the Dragon Boat Festival, my grandmother would spend an entire day making dozens of these pyramid-shaped parcels, and the whole house would smell of bamboo leaves and glutinous rice steaming away for hours.
As children, we’d hover around the kitchen, watching her nimble fingers fold and tie each dumpling with practiced ease, making it look so simple when really, it’s quite the art form!
I remember being fascinated by how she’d layer the rice, mung beans, and fillings; chunks of tender pork belly, fragrant shiitake mushrooms, Chinese sausage; all tucked inside those glossy green leaves.
When they were finally done and you unwrapped one, the rice would be perfectly sticky and infused with the subtle fragrance of the bamboo, with little pockets of savory filling throughout. It’s definitely a labour of love, and the wrapping does take a bit of practice, but once you get the hang of it, it’s actually quite therapeutic.
I like to make a big batch and freeze some. They keep beautifully and make for the most wonderful comfort food on a rainy day. Just reheat them by steaming, and you’ve got a meal that feels like a warm hug from your grandmother!
Glutinous Rice Dumplings in Bamboo Leaves (Zong Zi)
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- In a bowl, marinade the pork belly and set aside.
- Rinse and Wash the glutinous rice and mung beans separately 3 -4 times until the water is clear. Soak them in cold water for 1 hour. Drain and mix well with the seasonings.
- Wash the bamboo leaves and soak them in water for 30mins and then drain.
- Then using a big pot, submerge the leaves in cold water and bring them slowly to a boil on low heat and simmer for 15mins. This step is to sterilise the leaves and to make them clean.
- Drain the water and then wash the leaves. Set them aside.
- To wrap the dumplings, layer two leaves together (smooth side up), 1 inch apart. Fold the bottom of the leaf up to form a cone.
- Add 2 tbsp of seasoned rice into the cone, flatten it.
- Then add 1 tbsp of seasoned mung bean, add 2 pieces of pork bellow, 4 pieces of dried mushroom, 1 chestnut and 4 slices of chinese sauces.
- On top, cover with 1 tbsp of mung bean then 1 tbsp of rice.
- Get another leave to wrap around the top and fold the leaf down and close the packet.
- Use the bamboo string to wrap around the bamboo packet 7 to 8 times and double tie the string. Repeat this process until all the dumplings are done.
- To cook the dumplings, place them in a pot and pour over some hot water to cover them.
- Put the lid on and cook on medium heat for 3 hours. Ready to serve.
Video
Notes
- Glutinous rice must be soaked and well drained to ensure an even, sticky texture after cooking.
- Bamboo leaves should be thoroughly cleaned and boiled to soften them and remove any impurities. Handle carefully to avoid tearing.
- Tie the dumplings firmly but not too tight, as the rice will expand during cooking.
- Fillings can be adjusted to suit taste or availability. Salted egg yolk, chestnuts, or black eyed beans are also popular additions.
- These dumplings freeze well after cooking. Reheat by steaming until fully heated through before serving.
