These kind of food is really a fantastic snack.
People in mainland China call it Zhong zi while In Cantonese , these rice dumplings are called joong. In Taiwan, the Minnan call them tzang. Laotians, Thais, Cambodians and Vietnamese also have similar traditional dishes.
They are made of glutinous rice stuffed with different fillings and wrapped in bamboo leaves. They are cooked by steaming or boiling.
Zongzi are traditionally eaten during the Duanwu festival which falls on the fifth day of the fifth month of the Chinese calender (approximately early- to mid-June), commemorating the death of Qu yuan, a famous Chinese poet from the kingdom of Chu who lived during the Warring States period. Known for his patriotism, Qu Yuan tried unsuccessfully to warn his king and countrymen against the expansionism of their Qin neighbors. When the Qin general Bai Qi took Yingdu, the Chu capital, in 278 BC, Qu Yuan’s grief was so intense that he drowned himself in the Milou River . According to legend, rice dumplings were thrown into the river to prevent fish from eating the poet’s body. Another version states that the dumplings were given to placate a dragon that lived in the river.
The fillings used for zongzi vary from region to region.
Fillings may be sweet, with:
skinless mung pork,red bean paste,jujubes.
Or savoury with fillings such as:
red-cooked pork,Chinese sausage,Shiitake mushrooms, Salted duck eggs,Cooked peanuts,Dried shrimp,chestnuts.
Some types of zongzi contain no filling and are eaten with sugar or syrup.
Zongzi need to be steamed or boiled for several hours depending on how the rice is treated prior to filling. Once cooked, the zongzi can easily be frozen for later consumption. Frozen zongzi are available for sale in many Chinese markets.
Selfmade zongzi take a particularly long time to prepare.But it is really a funny thing to make them with the whole family in a certain time.Here is a recipe for you to make it which is shown in the picture above .
Ingredients
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300g black glutinous rice
650g glutinous rice
100g split green peas
Dried bamboo leaves, boiled, washed and soaked
Hemp strings
Pandan leaves, washed and cut into 3�4cm long
200g candied winter melon, diced.
100g dried Chinese mushrooms, diced.
75g lotus seeds, soaked for 1 hour
3�4 tbsp oil
Filling:
1 tbsp minced shallots
1 tbsp minced garlic
40g dried prawns, pounded
1.5cm cekur roots, cleaned, smashed and pounded
1 tbsp preserved bean paste (tau cheong)
2 � tsp coriander powder, mixed with a little water into a paste
Seasoning:
1 tsp light soy sauce
2�3 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp dark soy sauce
2 tsp pepper Method
To prepare rice, soak both types of rice and split green peas separately overnight with an addition of 1 tsp salt to each. Drain and add 2 tbsp oil and 1 tbsp sugar to each type of glutinous rice and set aside.
To prepare filling, heat oil in a wok and stir-fry shallots, garlic and dried prawns until golden brown and fragrant. Add coriander powder paste, cekur and bean paste and fry until fragrant. Add mushrooms, winter melon and lotus seeds and mix in seasoning to taste and combine.
To wrap dumpling, take two cleaned bamboo leaves and fold at the centre to form a cone. Line cone with 1 �2 tbsp glutinous rice mixture. Add in 1 tsp split green peas and 1 tbsp filling mixture. Cover with glutinous rice mixture again and top up with a pandan leaf. Using fingers, press down the rice to make it compact.
Fold bamboo leaves over to form a pyramid shape and tie tightly with a length of hemp string. Bring dumplings to boil for 3�4 hours or pressure cook for 50�60 minutes until cooked through. Remove and hang up to dry.
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