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中文As we approach the Dragon Boat Festival, also known as Duanwu Festival, it's time to celebrate with a traditional and delectable festival inspired treat: Cantonese-Style Zongzi. These savoury rice dumplings wrapped in bamboo leaves are a quintessential part of the Dragon Boat Festival festivities! Let’s dive into this delightful recipe and bring a taste of tradition to your table.
What is Zongzi?
Zongzi (粽子) are traditional Chinese sticky rice dumplings wrapped in bamboo leaves. They come in various styles and flavours depending on the region. Cantonese-style zongzi are known for their savoury fillings, often including pork, salted egg yolk, mushrooms, and mung beans.
The Ingredients You Need
For The Rice
4 cups glutinous rice
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
For The Filling
1 pound pork belly, cut into chunks
4 salted egg yolks, halved
1 cup dried mung beans, soaked for at least 4 hours
8 dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked and sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
1 teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon white pepper
For Wrapping
20-30 dried bamboo leaves, soaked overnight
Kitchen twine
Instructions
Preparation
First, soak the glutinous rice. Next, rinse the rice until the water runs clear, and then soak it in water for at least 4 hours or overnight. Meanwhile, prepare the bamboo leaves by soaking them in water overnight to soften. The following day, boil them for about 10 minutes to sterilise, then rinse and drain them well.
Making the Filling
Marinate the pork by mixing the pork belly chunks with soy sauce, oyster sauce, Shaoxing wine, sugar, and white pepper. After that, let the pork marinate for at least 1 hour. Subsequently, cook the pork by heating a bit of oil in a pan and adding the minced garlic and marinated pork. Cook until the pork is browned and cooked through, then set it aside to cool.
Preparing the Rice
Drain the soaked glutinous rice. Then, in a large bowl, mix the rice with soy sauce, dark soy sauce, salt, and vegetable oil.
Assembling the Zongzi
To wrap the zongzi, first, take two bamboo leaves and overlap them. Next, fold them into a cone shape. After that, add a spoonful of rice into the cone, followed by a piece of pork, a slice of mushroom, a bit of mung beans, and half a salted egg yolk. Finally, cover with another spoonful of rice. Fold the leaves over the filling to form a pyramid shape and secure with kitchen twine.
Cooking the Zongzi
In a large pot, bring water to a boil. Then, add the wrapped zongzi, ensuring they are fully submerged. Next, boil for about 2-3 hours, adding more water as necessary. Once cooked, remove the zongzi from the water and let them cool slightly. Finally, unwrap and enjoy your Cantonese-style zongzi.
Tips & Tricks
Ensure the bamboo leaves are well soaked and pliable to prevent tearing whilst wrapping. Oh, and feel free to customise the filling with other ingredients like chestnuts or dried shrimp. If you want to store any leftovers, Zongi will keep well in the fridge for up to a week.
How Sing Kee Can Help
Sing Kee Supermarket offers a wide range of authentic Asian ingredients that are often hard to find elsewhere. By incorporating Sing Kee's premium ingredients into your meals, you can enjoy the finest flavours of Asia in every dish. So why settle for anything less when you can bring the best into your kitchen with Sing Kee!
Image by pikisuperstar on Freepik.