Sticky Rice Dumpling

This is Zong Zi (粽子), also known as Sticky Rice Dumpling, also known as what you eat to celebrate Dragon Boat Festival.

If you have never had Zong Zi (粽子)  before, it is kinda similar to Tamales.

You wrap sticky rice, meat, nuts, mushrooms, and other ingredients inside the bamboo leaf, and you steam it. The glutinous rice soaks up all the flavor from the bamboo leaf and meat juices, becoming super savory and delicious.

This Zong Zi recipe has been passed down from my great-grandma in Taiwan and is a traditional Taiwanese recipe. I have simplified the recipe so it is easy for beginners. 

To be honest, this is my and my mom’s first time wrapping Zong Zi (粽子) since immigrating to Canada 16 years ago.

Growing up in Taiwan, my grandma made Zong Zi for us every year to celebrate Dragon Boat Festival.

She is such a master at wrapping Zong Zii that I never realized how hard it was to wrap them until I made them myself.

Like many grandmas, she always told us there was no need to learn because when we craved it, she would just make it for us.

But now, as I am getting older, I wish I could fly back and re-learn all her recipes and traditions. 

I will be honest, wrapping Zong Zi is NOT EASY.

Even though it took my mom and me two days to finish wrapping our Zong Zi, the process was worth it because you can taste the love and hard work behind it.

My grandma initially told us that the recipe could make 20 Zong Zi, but it is hard to find such large Bamboo Leaves in Canada, so we wrapped 40 smaller Zong Zi instead.

If this is your first time, wrapping small ones is a lot easier. 

Highly recommend

preparing the Zong Zi in BULK

since it is such a time-consuming activity.

I recommend inviting friends and family to wrap together as it is a fun family activity and tradition to share.

Steam all the Zong Zi once you are done wrapping, and once they cool down, you can store them in the freezer until you are ready to eat.

When ready to enjoy, re-heat the Zong Zhi by steaming it for 10 minutes or until it is warmed up. 

Here are a few tips to make the perfect Zong Zi for beginners: 

Glutinous Rice: 

• Soak the glutinous rice overnight with water. This step is crucial to ensure that the Zong Zi is “cooked” and not soggy. 
• Cook the glutinous rice with the meat sauce to flavor the rice. Let the rice soak up as much sauce as possible on medium-low heat like risotto. Don’t over stir the rice as you don’t want the rice to “break.” 

• Go to Asian supermarkets or Chinese herbal stalls to pick up a high-quality bamboo leaf. AMAZON
• I recommend finding bamboo leaves that are long and wide. The bigger the leaf, the easier it is to wrap the Zong Zi. 
• Soak the Bamboo Leaves OVERNIGHT. This step is crucial to ensure that the leaf doesn’t break and rip when wrapping them. I forgot this step a couple of years ago, and it was impossible to wrap. 

• Prepare the pork belly the day of since you will be using the sauce to make the mushroom and rice. 
• Cut pork belly into bite-size pieces so it will be easier to wrap. 

Peanuts: 

• Wash and soak the peanuts for at least 2 hours.
• Cook the peanuts in the same sauce as the pork belly for 45 minutes. 

• Both of these ingredients are super SALTY. First, rinse the ingredients, then soak in clean water for 2 hours. Changing the water every hour. 

Ingredients (20)

Peanuts 

• 1 cup of Peanuts (washed and soaked) 
• 1/4 cup of Soy Sauce 
• 3 tbsp of Sugar 
• 1 cup of Water 

Pork Belly 

• 1 lb of Pork Belly 
• 1/2 cup of Soy Sauce 
• 3.5 tbsp of Sugar 
• 4 tbsp of Dark Soy Sauce 
• ½ cup of Chinese Cooking Wine (optional) 
• 2-3 cups of Water 
• 2 Star Anise 
• 5 cloves of Garlic (smashed) 

1. Rinse the bamboo leaf, making sure to be gentle to prevent them from tearing and breaking. 
2. Soak the bamboo leaf with enough water to cover all the leaves overnight. 
3. Drain and set aside. 

Pork Belly 

1. Prepare the Pork Belly by cutting the pork belly into 20 bite-size pieces. 
2. Turn the heat to medium and pan-fry the pork belly for 2-3 minutes on each side or until golden brown. 
3. Pour in soy sauce, sugar, dark soy sauce, Chinese cooking wine, garlic, star anise, and water. 
4. Turn the heat to medium-low and put the lid on to cook for 25 minutes. Make sure to keep an eye out to prevent burning. Add more water if needed. 
5. Remove the pork belly to cool down, and keep the sauce for the next step. 

Glutinous Rice

1. Soak the rice overnight with enough water to cover all the rice. The rice will double in size, so make sure to use a large container. Strain the rice and set it aside. 
2. Turn the heat to medium-low and add in the rice. Pour in around 2 cups of the pork belly sauce ¼ cup. 
3. Make sure not to stir too fast and “break” the rice. The goal is to make sure the rice soaks up all the sauce. 

Peanuts 

1. Wash and soak the uncooked peanuts for 2 hours. 
2. Add the peanuts into a pot, and add ¼ cup of soy sauce, 3 tbsp of sugar, and 1 cup of water. 
3. Simmer on medium-low heat for 45 minutes or until peanuts are soft. 

1. Soak the shiitake mushroom with hot water once or until mushrooms are soft. 
2. In a pan, add the mushroom, and turn the heat to medium-high.
3. Saute the mushroom for 2-3 minutes or until fragrant. 
4. Pour in around ½ cup of the pork belly sauce and saute for another 2-3 minutes or until the mushroom soaks up all the sauce. 

Dried Shrimp and Dried Radish

1. Rinse the dried shrimp and dried Radish separately.
2. Soak in two separate bowls for 2 hours. Make sure to change the water every hour. Drain and set aside. 
3. Add 1.5 tbsp of oil to a pan, turn the heat to medium-high, and add sliced shallots.
4. Pan-fry the shallots for 3-4 minutes or until fragrant, and add in dried shrimp and turnip. 
5. Season with white pepper and five-spice powder and saute on high heat for another 1-2 minutes. 

Wrapping Zong Zi 

1. Get two pieces of the bamboo leaf and layer them on top of each other. You want the two wider ends of the leaf to be on the opposite side. 
2. Push the middle of the leaf downward and inwards to make a cone-like shape. Hold it tightly with your hands to prevent the fillings from spilling out. 

1. Start with around 1.5 tbsp of the rice. Push the rice down the cone, so it is tightly packed. 
2. Add in all the filling above based on your preference. I like to add around one piece of pork belly, one piece of mushroom, and 0.5 tbsp of the peanuts and dried shrimp and turnip. 
3. Finish off by adding another 1.5 tbsp of rice, pressing them down tightly. Add another piece of shiitake mushroom on top. 

1. Fold the top of the leaf down to close the cone. Make sure to still tightly hold the bottom of the cone to prevent the fillings from spilling out. 
2. Once it has folded, wrap the rest of the leaf around using your thumbs to ensure all the openings are closed and secured. 
3. Wrap with the string 2 to 3 times around the Zong Zi and tightly tie a knot to secure everything. 
4. If you are a beginner, wrap the Zong Zi with individual strings and then tie them all together at the end. However, if you are experienced, you can tie the strings together ahead of time and continue to tie them around the strings. 
5. Steam the Zong Zi for 1 hour. Let it rest for 10 minutes before enjoying it. 

Print

Zong Zi (粽子)

This is Zong Zi (粽子), also known as Sticky Rice Dumpling, also known as what you eat to celebrate Dragon Boat Festival. If you have never had Zong Zi (粽子) before, it is kinda similar to Tamales. You wrap sticky rice, meat, nuts, mushrooms, and other ingredients inside the bamboo leaf, and you steam it. The glutinous rice soaks up all the flavor from the bamboo leaf and meat juices, becoming super savory and delicious. This Zong Zi recipe has been passed down from my great-grandma in Taiwan and is a traditional Taiwanese recipe. I have simplified the recipe so it is easy for beginners.

Prep Time

1

d

Active Time

3

hrs

30

mins

Total Time

1

d

3

hrs

30

mins

Yield:

20

Zong Zi

Materials

• 40

  Bamboo Leaf

• 800

  g

  of Glutinous Rice

• 40

  Dry Shiitake Mushroom – Soaked for 1 hour

• 4

  shallots

  sliced

• 0.5

  tbsp

  of White Pepper

• 1

  tbsp

  of Five Spice Powder

• ¼

  cup

  of Dried Shrimp – soaked based on the above tips

• 0.5

  cup

  of Dried Turnip – soaked based on the above tips

Peanuts

• 1

  cup

  of Peanuts

  washed and soaked

• 1/4

  cup

  of Soy Sauce

• 3

  tbsp

  of Sugar

• 1

  cup

  of Water

Pork Belly

• 1

  lb

  of Pork Belly

• 1/2

  cup

  of Soy Sauce

• 3.5

  tbsp

  of Sugar

• 4

  tbsp

  of Dark Soy Sauce

• ½

  cup

  of Chinese Cooking Wine

  optional

• 2-3

  cups

  of Water

• 2

  Star Anise

• 5

  cloves

  of Garlic

  smashed

Instructions

Bamboo Leaf

• Rinse the bamboo leaf, making sure to be gentle to prevent them from tearing and breaking.

• Soak the bamboo leaf with enough water to cover all the leaves overnight.

• Drain and set aside.

Pork Belly

• Prepare the Pork Belly by cutting the pork belly into 20 bite-size pieces.

• Turn the heat to medium and pan-fry the pork belly for 2-3 minutes on each side or until golden brown.

• Pour in soy sauce, sugar, dark soy sauce, Chinese cooking wine, garlic, star anise, and water.

• Turn the heat to medium-low and put the lid on to cook for 25 minutes. Make sure to keep an eye out to prevent burning. Add more water if needed.

• Remove the pork belly to cool down, and keep the sauce for the next step.

Glutinous Rice

• Soak the rice overnight with enough water to cover all the rice. The rice will double in size, so make sure to use a large container. Strain the rice and set it aside.

• Turn the heat to medium-low and add in the rice. Pour in around 2 cups of the pork belly sauce ¼ cup.

• Make sure not to stir too fast and “break” the rice. The goal is to make sure the rice soaks up all the sauce.

Peanuts

• Wash and soak the uncooked peanuts for 2 hours.

• Add the peanuts into a pot, and add ¼ cup of soy sauce, 3 tbsp of sugar, and 1 cup of water.

• Simmer on medium-low heat for 45 minutes or until peanuts are soft.

Shiitake Mushroom

• Soak the shiitake mushroom with hot water once or until mushrooms are soft.

• In a pan, add the mushroom, and turn the heat to medium-high.

• Saute the mushroom for 2-3 minutes or until fragrant.

• Pour in around ½ cup of the pork belly sauce and saute for another 2-3 minutes or until the mushroom soaks up all the sauce.

Dried Shrimp and Dried Turnip

• Rinse the dried shrimp and fried turnip separately.

• Soak in two separate bowls for 2 hours. Make sure to change the water every hour. Drain and set aside.

• Add 1.5 tbsp of oil to a pan, turn the heat to medium-high, and add sliced shallots.

• Pan-fry the shallots for 3-4 minutes or until fragrant, and add in dried shrimp and turnip.

• Season with white pepper and five-spice powder and saute on high heat for another 1-2 minutes.

Wrapping Zong Zi

• Get two pieces of the bamboo leaf and layer them on top of each other. You want the two wider ends of the leaf to be on the opposite side.

• Push the middle of the leaf downward and inwards to make a cone-like shape. Hold it tightly with your hands to prevent the fillings from spilling out.

• Start with around 1.5 tbsp of the rice. Push the rice down the cone, so it is tightly packed.

• Add in all the filling above based on your preference. I like to add around one piece of pork belly, one piece of mushroom, and 0.5 tbsp of the peanuts and dried shrimp and turnip.

• Finish off by adding another 1.5 tbsp of rice, pressing them down tightly. Add another piece of shiitake mushroom on top.

• Fold the top of the leaf down to close the cone. Make sure to still tightly hold the bottom of the cone to prevent the fillings from spilling out.

• Once it has folded, wrap the rest of the leaf around using your thumbs to ensure all the openings are closed and secured.

• Wrap with the string 2 to 3 times around the Zong Zi and tightly tie a knot to secure everything.

• If you are a beginner, wrap the Zong Zi with individual strings and then tie them all together at the end. However, if you are experienced, you can tie the strings together ahead of time and continue to tie them around the strings.

• Steam the Zong Zi for 1 hour. Let it rest for 10 minutes before enjoying it.

Notes

Steam all the Zong Zi once you are done wrapping, and once they cool down, you can store them in the freezer until you are ready to eat. When ready to enjoy, re-heat the Zong Zhi by steaming it for 10 minutes or until it is warmed up.