Zongzi are usually eaten during the Dragon Boat Festival, celebrated on the 5th day of the 5th month of the lunar calendar. Traditionally zongzi are stuffed with sweet fillings such as dates and red bean paste in the north, and with savory fillings such as pork, shiitake mushrooms, and salted duck egg yolk in the south. For this recipe I decided to be a little innovative and added purple rice and coconut flakes; while nothing authentic, they’re reminiscent of nuomici and absolutely delicious.
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 2 ½ hours
Servings: 5 Zongzi
INGREDIENTS:
Preparation:
12 large bamboo leaves
Cotton twine
5 Tbsp red bean paste
White Rice Mixture:
¾ cup glutinous rice
2 Tbsp sweetened coconut flakes
Purple Rice Mixture:
½ cups glutinous rice
2 Tbsp purple rice
2 Tbsp sweetened coconut flakes
Garnish:
Sweetened condensed milk
Sweetened coconut flakes
INSTRUCTIONS:
If you’re using dried bamboo leaves, soak bamboo leaves overnight in cold water. I’m soaking two extra leaves in case some rips. Make sure the leaves are submerged but use as little water as possible, since water will dilute the fragrance of the bamboo. Skip this step if you’re using fresh leaves. Rinse the leaves thoroughly the second day.
In a mixing bowl, soak ¾ cup of glutinous rice with 2 cups of cold water. In another mixing bowl, soak ½ cup of glutinous and 2 Tbsp of purple rice with 2 cups cold water. Let both soak for 2 hours. Do not oversoak, if the rice already expands all the way here it won’t expand after being wrapped and the end-product might fall apart.
Strain the rice and place them in separate bowls. Add 2 tablespoon of coconut flakes to each bowl.
To assemble, take two bamboo leaves and lay one over the other. Trim half an inch off the end with the stems.
Make a cone with the leaves, make sure end with the stem is the shorter
end inside the cone and the tip of the cone is entirely sealed.
Holding the cone with your right hand, fill the tip with of the cone
with one tablespoon of purple rice mixture. Use a chopstick to poke the rice
down into the tip of the cone if necessary. Continue to fill the cone with half
a tablespoon of white rice mixture, and then form a dent in the middle. Fill the
dent with one tablespoon of red bean paste, and top off with an additional white
rice mixture, until the red bean paste is covered. Make sure to leave ¾ inch of
space from the top of the cone to fold down.
Fold down the front of the cone first and keep it pressed down with your
thumb.
Fold down the left side and continue to press down with your thumb.
Fold down the right side and keep holding it with your thumb.
Fold the top down and wrap the extra leaves tightly around the cone. Then switch the zongzi into your left hand.
Take a piece of cotton string approximately 2 feet long, leave 2 inches at one end and hold down the string with your left thumb.
Tightly wrap the string around the zongzi several times and tie a dead knot.
Repeat the process until all zongzi are wrapped. I like tying them together
so I can drop them into the pot and remove them all at once.
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Bring 2 quart of water to a boil and lower the zongzi into the pot. Make sure all the zongzi are submerged. Simmer on low with the lid on for two and a half hours.
Once cooked, zongzi may be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week and in the freezer for two months. To reheat, simply boil the zongzi for 10 to 15 additional minutes or steam over high heat for 30 minutes.
To serve, drizzle with sweetened condensed milk and top with extra coconut flakes. Enjoy!
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