Sticky Rice Dumplings (Zong Zi)

SnackChinese New Year SnackLocal SnackTraditional Snack

May 29

Written By M Y

咸肉粽

Dragon Boat Festival (Duanwu / 端午節) is around the corner. Time to celebrate with some Zong Zi! These Cantonese style savory Zong Zi (sticky rice dumpling, 咸肉粽) with fatty pork are super delicious. Give this recipe a try, you’ll never have store bought again.

Zong Zi or Zung (Cantonese), are consumed on Dragon Boat Festival. Depending on the region, there are many styles of ingredients and wrapping methods of Zong Zi. The more common Cantonese style Zong Zi are salted pork dumpling (咸肉粽) which is savory and lye water dumpling (碱水粽) which is sweet - these Zung are usually wrapped in an elongated pyramid shape.

You may have Zong Zi as is or dip them in sugar for a sweet and savory experience or soy sauce for an added umami punch.

Yield: 14-16 Zong Zi

Ingredients:
1 lb fatty pork (pork belly)
2 lbs glutinous rice
1 lb dried mung beans
½ lb peanuts (raw, unsalted with skin)
½ cup small dried scallops
8 salted duck egg yolks cut in halves
Bamboo leaves (fresh or dried
Strings (Butcher’s Twine, 100% cotton)

Pork Marinade:
1 tbsp five spice
4 tsp salt
1 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp wine
1 tsp white pepper

Rice Seasoning:
1 ½ tbsp salt
1 ½ tbsp sugar
1 tsp chicken powder (bouillon)
¼ cup oil

Mung Bean Seasoning:
2 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp chicken powder (bouillon)
2 tbsp oil

Method:

Rinse, pat dry and cube pork belly into 1-2 inches. Mix well with marinade ingredients and marinate for 8 hours.
Wash and drain peanuts. Set aside.
Wash glutinous rice, mung beans, and scallops in separate bowls. Soak ingredients for 3 hours. Drain and mix seasoning into each, let marinate.
Depending on the choice of bamboo leaves.
Fresh: Wash and cut both ends of the leaves.
Dried: Use around 2 tbsp of oil in boiling water, then boil dried bamboo leaves until soft (10-15 minutes). Cut both ends of the leaves.
Zong Zi assembly (refer to video or image below).
Layering ingredients in the bamboo leaf wrapper.
Layer 1: Glutinous rice
Layer 2: Mung Bean
Layer 3: Pork Belly
Layer 4: Scallops
Layer 5: Peanuts
Layer 6: Salted Egg Yolks
Layer 7: Mung Bean
Layer 8: Glutinous rice
Then fold in the sides of the wrapper. Wrap and tie Zong Zi with cotton strings.
Cooking Method:
Instant Pot (InstaPot): Place Zong Zi into a pot and fill with water until all Zong Zi. Use the “Pressure Cook” option and set for 30 minutes. Let the pot cool off on it’s own until all pressure is gone (no need to let it vent).
Stove Top: Place Zong Zi in a deep pot. Add water, enough to cover all Zong Zi. Bring to a boil in high heat. Once boiling, use medium heat and let cook for 2 ½ hours. Turn off heat and let it rest in the pot until water is cooled off.

Notes:

Making Zong Zi takes about 2 days, due to ingredient prep and cooking time.
May replace dried scallops with dried shrimp.
Using fatty pork for Zong Zi makes them more flavourful. Fat IS Flavour :)
For convenience and aesthetic, Mrs. Yung suggests vacuumed pack bamboo leaves. The leaves are firmer and flexible with a more appealing fresh green colour. The product is still relatively new, depending on the region you are from, you might be able to find them. You may find vacuumed packed bamboo leaves can be found at T&T Supermarkets (Toronto).
Recipe yields 14-16 Zong Zi, each Zong Zi uses 4 leaves. Will need about 64 leaves. Depending on the brand, 1-2 packs of bamboo leaves would be sufficient. Better get more for emergency gifting since Zong Zi are common as gifts amongst family and friends.
When tying Zong Zi, use 100% cotton strings, also known as Butcher’s Twine and Cooking Twine. Safe for high heat.
To speed cooking in an instant pot, pour boiling water to cover Zong Zi.