Zongzi Two Ways Recipe

I’m absolutely in love with this recipe because it combines all my favorite comforting flavors into one delightful package—there’s just something magical about unwrapping a zongzi to discover the savory pork belly and creamy salted duck yolk inside. Plus, crafting each little bundle feels like a meditative art, connecting me to tradition while I create something incredibly delicious and satisfying.

Zongzi, a cherished traditional Chinese dish, is full of delightful flavors and textures. I enjoy making Zongzi two ways, with glutinous rice, savory pork belly, and umami-rich shiitake mushrooms, and a rich, aromatic Chinese five-spice powder.

With glutinous rice, the time-consuming process of soaking, peeling, and chopping the ingredients, and then the careful wrapping and sealing in bamboo leaves, I find that Zongzi making can be meditative.

Ingredients

Chewy rice: Carbohydrate-rich, it provides the texture for the ubiquitous Vietnamese dish xôi.

Pork belly: A rich and flavorful source of protein.

Shiittake Mushrooms, Dried: Provide umami, as well as abundant fiber and antioxidants.

Mung beans contain a lot of proteins and fibers, and they add a nice creamy texture.

Chinese Five-Spice Powder: Contributes the added aromatic intricacy of sweetness and savoriness.

Egg Yolks of Salted Duck: Add a creamy, savory richness and flavor boost.

Sweetened and flavored, cooked chestnuts are a high-carbohydrate food.

Ingredient Quantities

• 3 cups glutinous rice
• 30 dried bamboo leaves
• 1 pound pork belly, cut into pieces
• 8 dried shiitake mushrooms
• 1/2 cup peeled and split mung beans
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
• 1 tablespoon Chinese five-spice powder
• Salt, to taste
• 1/4 cup fried shallots
• 2 salted duck egg yolks, halved
• 1/2 cup cooked chestnuts
• Kitchen twine

Instructions

1. Prepare Bamboo Leaves
Let the bamboo leaves sit in warm water for 2 hours before using them. These materials will need to be warmed up in the proper fashion to make them malleable and usable as a wrapper.

2. Prepare Ingredients
Let the glutinous rice, mung beans, and shiitake mushrooms take a plunge in water for a minimum of 1 hour; happily, none of them are prone to soaking too long. After draining, take a moment to appreciate the rehydrated mushrooms: their bodies are now a little plumper, with no less pep and zest than when they were dry. The first essential step in using them to flavor the rice—quite the tasty trifecta—would be to slice them as directed.

3. Marinate Pork Belly
Mix together soy sauce, oyster sauce, Chinese five-spice powder, and a pinch of salt. Pour over the pork belly. Let it bask in the marinade for at least half an hour.

4. Season Rice
Combine 1 tablespoon of soy sauce and a small amount of salt with glutinous rice that has been drained. Set it aside.

5. Assemble Zongzi
Take two bamboo leaves, slightly overlapping. Fold them into a cone. Within that cone, put a layer of rice, a few mung beans, a piece of marinated pork, a mushroom slice, a half duck egg yolk, and a chestnut. But more rice on top.

6. Wrap and Secure
Bend the leaves to cover the filling entirely. Bundle up and bind with kitchen twine so tightly that everyone will believe the seasoning is inside the fish and not in your kitchen.

7. Repeat Process
Assemble the Zongzi until you’re left with none of the ingredients.

8. Boil Zongzi
Put Zongzi into a big pot, and cover them with water. Weight everything down with a heatproof plate. Heat the pot until the water reaches a rolling boil. Reduce the heat and let everything simmer for 3 hours, making sure to add more water to keep Zongzi submerged.

9. Cool and Serve
After cooking, take it out of the pot and allow it to cool a bit before untying.

10. Enjoy: Serve warm or at room temperature. Store leftovers in the refrigerator and reheat by steaming before serving.

Equipment Needed

1. Large bowl
2. Medium bowl
3. Small bowl
4. Knife
5. Cutting board
6. Measuring cups and spoons
7. Strainer or colander
8. Large pot
9. Heatproof plate (to weigh down the Zongzi)
10. Kitchen twine
11. Stove
12. Tongs or slotted spoon (for removing Zongzi from pot)

FAQ

• Q: Can I use fresh bamboo leaves instead of dried?You can use fresh bamboo leaves, but they must be blanched in boiling water until soft before using.
• Q: How long should I soak the glutinous rice?To achieve optimal results, allow the glutinous rice to soak for a minimum of 4 hours or overnight.
• Q: Do I need to soak the dried shiitake mushrooms?Q: Should the dried shiitake mushrooms be rehydrated?

  A: Yes, the dried shiitake mushrooms should be rehydrated. To do this, soak them in warm water for about 30 minutes, or until fully softened, and then slice them.

• Q: How do I store leftover zongzi?A: Keep them in an airtight container in the refrigerator, where they will stay fresh for 3 to 4 days; longer than that, and you might want to freeze them.
• Q: Can I substitute the pork belly with another protein?A: Yes, chicken thigh or beef can be used instead of pork belly, but the cooking time must be adjusted.
• Q: Is it necessary to use salted duck egg yolks?A: If necessary, you can leave them out or use regular egg yolks, but salted duck egg yolks impart a flavor and richness that is hard to beat.

Substitutions and Variations

To prepare sushi using glutinous rice: Substitute with sushi rice, though the texture will be somewhat different.
For pork belly: Choose chicken thighs or duck breast for a cut that is lower in fat and a healthier alternative.
Substitute fresh shiitake mushrooms or dried porcini mushrooms for dried shiitake mushrooms.
To make oyster sauce: Use hoisin sauce or a blend of soy sauce and a little sugar.
Using regular chicken egg yolks, salted overnight, makes a good substitute for the salted yolks of duck eggs.

Pro Tips

1. Leaf Preparation Ensure the bamboo leaves are soaked adequately by placing a plate on top to keep them fully submerged in warm water. This helps the leaves become pliable, making wrapping easier and preventing splits.

2. Rice and Bean Soak For more flavor, consider soaking the glutinous rice and mung beans in a mixture of water and a touch of soy sauce. This will infuse the grains with additional taste.

3. Pork Belly Marination Extend the marination time of the pork belly to a few hours or overnight in the refrigerator. This deepens the flavor profile and results in more tender meat.

4. Advanced Filling Add in some additional fillings for variety, such as pre-cooked peanuts or dried shrimp, to enhance the texture and taste complexity of the Zongzi.

5. Cooking Consistency During the boiling process, keep a pot of boiling water ready to replenish the cooking pot. This ensures that the Zongzi remain fully submerged and cook evenly for the entire 3 hours.