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Makes: 15-20
Prep Time: 1-2 hrs (plus marinating overnight)
Cook time: 1-3 hrs
What you’ll need: 40-50 bamboo leaves, string
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INGREDIENTS:
1 pound pork belly
2 pounds glutinous (sweet) rice
fried shallot
3/4 cup soy sauce
salt/pepper to taste
Optional: mushrooms, peanuts, mung beans, Chinese sausage, anything else you like
1. Cut the pork belly into small chunks, add soy sauce and salt/pepper, and let it sit overnight to marinate. Note: you can substitute pork with any meat and/or add any of the above options (like mushrooms shown here).
2. Wash the glutinous rice and soak in water.
3. Wash the bamboo leaves then boil them with a tablespoon of oil for a few minutes until soft.
4. Once cool, coil one or two bamboo leaves into the shape of a cone. Have the ends of the leaves meet up at the top. If a leaf rips, simply add another over it.
5. Fill a third of the cone with glutinous rice (about 1 tablespoon) and add 1-2 pieces of the pork belly and fried shallot (and/or any other filling) on top. Then, cover it with more sticky rice to about an inch below the rim of the cone (the more space you leave the easier it will be to fold).
6. Wrap it into a pyramid shape by folding down one side then the other, and finally folding the remaining length of the leaves down.
7. Bind the whole thing with string. Make sure rice cannot fall out of the cone.
8. Steam or boil the wrapped zòngzi (粽子) for at least one hour. Longer if you like the rice softer or if the zòngzi (粽子) is very large.
You can do Steps 1-3 the day before. Once you get the hang of wrapping the zòngzi (粽子) (may take a few tries), it’s fun! And the end product is so delicious!
