Zongzi (粽子) or joong (糭) is a classic and traditional Chinese sticky rice dumpling. It has both savory and sweet zongzi. This is a savory sticky rice dumpling recipe that has both stove top and instant pot methods. Also, it has a video (below the recipe card) and a step by step photo to show you how to wrap and make this traditional Cantonese zongzi, Chinese sticky rice dumplings for your Dragon Boat Festival.
Love authentic food? Check out these turnip cake, pan fried buns, hairy gourd vermicelli, pan fried dumplings, soy sauce chicken wings, taro buns, red bean paste sticky rice cake and red bean soup recipes.
What is Chinese sticky rice dumpling?
Chinese sticky rice dumpling also called zongzi (粽子) in mandarin and joong (糭) in Cantonese. It is a traditional Chinese food and is especially consumed during the Dragon Boat Festival, the 5th day of the 5th month of the lunar calendar which is usually in June. People in China, Hong Kong and other parts of East Asia enjoy eating joong and celebrate the holiday.
Zongzi is made of glutinous rice stuffed with fillings and wrapped with bamboo leaves. Then, boil them in the water. There are two different types of zongzi, the savory and sweet zongzi. For the savory zongzi, the fillings can vary depending on the areas, preferences and personal tastes. However, it commonly includes ingredients such as pork, salted egg yolk, mushrooms, dried shrimp, and mung beans. The combination of filling ingredients gives the rice dumplings a rich, savory and umami flavor.
Therefore, in different regions people make sticky rice dumplings slightly differently. This Chinese sticky rice dumpling recipe is my family Cantonese zongzi recipe. In addition, I have noticed different cultures have something similar to sticky rice dumpling, but they all named them differently.
What is Dragon Boat Festival?
Dragon Boat Festival in mandarin Chinese called duanwu jie (端午節). It is a traditional Chinese holiday that has a history of over 2000 years. Also, it takes place on the 5th day of the 5th month of the lunar calendar which is usually in June.
Originally, the Dragon Boat Festival is to commemorate the death of Qu Yuan (屈原) , a famous Chinese poet. Qu Yuan was a loyal minister who drowned himself in the river to protest against political corruption and injustice. When the local people heard of his death, they rushed to the river with their boats, beating drums and throwing rice dumplings into the water to prevent fish eating his body.
Nowadays, the Dragon Boat Festival is a holiday to celebrate with dragon boat races. People paddle in long narrow boats with the drum beats rhythm. The dragon boat race symbolizes the search for Qu Yuan’s body. On the other hand, the popular tradition during this festival is to consume zongzi, sticky rice dumplings. These zongzi are believed to feed the fish and protect Qu Yuan’s body. Also, it is a time for families to come together and pay respects to their ancestors. People enjoy outdoor activities, spend time with loved ones, and celebrate Chinese culture and traditions like Chinese New Year.
What is the difference between zongzi and lo mai gai?
They are very similar. In general zongzi is wrapped with bamboo leaves and tightened with a string, then boiled in water. However, lo mai gai wrap in lotus leaves and steam in a bamboo basket. The filling is a little different and will depend which regions and what you like to eat.
What are the ingredients for zongzi?
This Cantonese Chinese sticky rice dumpling recipe, the main ingredients are bamboo leaves, glutinous rice, pork, split mung beans, dried Chinese mushrooms, dried small shrimp and salted egg yolk.
As I mentioned before, people in different areas like to use different ingredients for the filling. You can add or use other ingredients for filing. This can make around 30 medium small sized sticky rice dumplings. You can half the amount if you want to make less.
Cooking tips for how to make Chinese sticky rice dumplings:
Bamboo leaves:
- Wash and soak bamboo leaves in water for 45 minutes to an hour until it's soft. Some people like to boil them to clean it before wrapping.
Rice:
- Soak glutinous rice for at least an hour. I normally soak for a couple hours. Then, drain the water well. Add salt and vegetable oil and mix it.
Filing:
- Wash and soak split mung beans for 30 minutes to an hour.
- Soak dried small shrimp for 15 minutes.
- Dried mushrooms wash and soak it for 4-6 hours until it’s soft. (I normally soak them the day before I need to use them).
- Marinate pork for at least 15 minutes. The best to marinate overnight.
- Salted egg yolk cut it half or quarter or as a whole depends on your preference.
- Boiling zongzi for 1.5-2 hours if using a top stove method.
- If you use instant pot Manuel 45 minutes at high pressure and natural release.
FAQs:
Most people like to use pork with some fat or pork belly. Personally, I like lean pork because it's healthier.
You can boil zongzi for 10-15 minutes in a pot. It takes around 25-30 minutes to steam them. Or, put zongzi and a cup of water into an instant pot, then manual for 5 minutes at high pressure and natural release.
You can refrigerate them for 3-4 days or freeze them for a few months or up. I like to make more and freeze them, so I don't need to make them often because there is a lot of preparation work.
There are few different ways to wrap it. Some people like to wrap them like a triangle or rectangle shape. See the video below the recipe card for how to wrap rice dumplings.
For the savory Chinese sticky rice dumplings, the filling can vary depending on the areas, preferences and personal tastes. However, it commonly includes ingredients such as pork, salted egg yolk, mushrooms, dried shrimp, and mung beans. Some like to add peanuts, chestnuts and Chinese sausage etc. For sweet zongzi, some like to put sweet red bean paste or su mu (蘇木, sappan wood), a Chinese herb.
No, jasmine rice is not sticky rice. They are not the same and they are different types of rice. Jasmine rice is a long grain rice mainly from Thailand. It has a fragrant aroma and is soft.
However, sticky rice is also known as glutinous rice or sweet rice. It is a type of short grain rice that becomes sticky and glue-like when cooked. Also, it has a higher starch content compared to regular rice. Besides, sticky rice is commonly used in Asian cuisines such as zongzi and Thai mango sticky rice.
Instructions for how to make instant pot Chinese sticky rice dumplings:
Preparation work:
1. First, wash and soak a pack of dried bamboo leaves (it's around 90 leaves) in water for 45 minutes to an hour until it's soft. Some people like to boil them to clean it before wrapping.
2. Next, soak 10 cups of glutinous rice in a bowl for at least an hour. I normally soak it for 2 hours.
3. After that, soak 5 large dried mushrooms for 4-6 hours until it's soft. (Most of the time, I soak it the night before I use it.)
4. The following, wash and soak 1 cup of dried small shrimp for 15 minutes. Drain well and set aside.
5. Also, wash and soak a small bag of split mung beans (10.58 oz or 300 g) for 30-45 minutes.
Marinate ingredients:
6. After soaking dried mushrooms, slice the soaked mushrooms into strips.
7. Put the sliced mushrooms in a bowl, add 2 tablespoons of oyster sauce and 1 tablespoon of sesame oil. Mix it well.
8. After, slice 3 pounds of pork into strips.
9. Marinate pork in a bowl by adding 3 tablespoons oyster sauce, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon sugar and 1 tablespoon shaoxing cooking wine. Mix them well and let it marinate for at least 15 minutes. The best is to marinate it overnight.
10. Drain the water well after soaking glutinous rice. Then, add 1 tablespoon salt and 1 tablespoon vegetable oil. Mix them well.
11. Cut 8 salted egg yolks, each divide into 4 pieces.
12. Cut some strings into length, so it is easier for wrapping the rice dumplings.
Wrapping zongzi:
13. Use 2 soaked bamboo leaves to fold them into a shape that can hold. Then, add some soaked glutinous rice, some soaked split mung beans, 1-2 pieces of marinated mushrooms, some soaked dried small shrimp, 1-2 pieces of marinated pork, 1 piece of salted egg yolk and cover some soaked glutinous rice.
14. After that, add a bamboo leaf and wrap them. Next, use a cut up string to tighten it. See detail in the video for how to wrap zongzi.
Instant pot sticky rice dumplings:
15. Put the wrapped sticky rice dumplings into an instant pot and fill up water about 85-90% to cover the rice dumplings. Close the lid and vent, push the manual button, adjust time to 45 minutes at high pressure and natural release.
Enjoy this savory zongzi or Chinese sticky rice dumpling recipe! Also, check out these salt & pepper squid, crab stir fry, claypot rice, mouth watering chicken, Chinese mushroom chicken, pickled mustard greens and tomato egg stir fry recipes.
Instructions for how to make Chinese sticky rice dumplings using top stove method:
Preparation work:
1.Wash and soak a pack of dried bamboo leaves (it's around 90 leaves) in water for 45 minutes to an hour until it's soft. Some people like to boil them to clean it before wrapping.
2. Soak 10 cups of glutinous rice in a bowl for at least an hour. I normally soak it for 2 hours.
3. After that, soak 5 large dried mushrooms for 4-6 hours until it's soft. (Most of the time, I soak it the night before I use it.)
4. Next, wash and soak 1 cup of dried small shrimp for 15 minutes. Drain well and set aside.
5. The following, wash and soak a small bag split mung beans (10.58 oz or 300 g) for 30-45 minutes.
Marinate ingredients:
6. Slice the soaked mushrooms into strips.
7. Put the sliced mushrooms in a bowl, add 2 tablespoons of oyster sauce and 1 tablespoon of sesame oil. Mix it well.
8. After, slice 3 pounds of pork into strips.
9. Marinate pork in a bowl by adding 3 tablespoons oyster sauce, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon sugar and 1 tablespoon shaoxing cooking wine. Mix them well and let it marinate for at least 15 minutes. The best is to marinate it overnight.
10. Drain the water well after soaking glutinous rice. Then, add 1 tablespoon salt and 1 tablespoon vegetable oil. Mix them well.
11. Cut 8 salted egg yolks, each divide into 4 pieces.
12. Cut some strings into length, so it is easier for wrapping the rice dumplings.
Wrapping zongzi:
13. Use 2 soaked bamboo leaves to fold them into a shape that can hold. Then, add some soaked glutinous rice, some soaked split mung beans, 1-2 pieces of marinated mushrooms, some soaked dried small shrimp, 1-2 pieces of marinated pork, 1 piece of salted egg yolk and cover with some soaked glutinous rice.
14. After that, add a bamboo leaf and wrap them. Next, use a cut up string to tighten it. See detail in the video for how to wrap zongzi.
Boiling zongzi:
15. Put the wrapped sticky rice dumplings into a big pot and fill up water to cover the rice dumplings. Cover the lid and let it boil for 1.5- 2 hours. Remember to add some water in between.
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Sticky Rice Dumpling
Video
Ingredients
- 1 pack Dried bamboo leaves (around 90 leaves)
- 10 cups Glutinous rice
- 5 pieces Dried Chinese mushrooms Large
- 3 pounds Pork
- 1 bag Split mung beans (no skin, 10.58 oz or 300 g)
- 1 cup Dried small shrimp small
- 8 pieces Salted egg yolks
Marinate for the rice:
- 1 tablespoon Salt
- 1 tablespoon Vegetable oil
Marinate for mushrooms:
- 2 tablespoons Oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon Sesame oil
Marinate for pork:
- 3 tablespoons Oyster sauce
- 2 tablespoons Soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon Garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Sugar
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing cooking wine (You can use other cooking wine)
Instructions
Instant Pot Method:
- First, wash and soak a pack of dried bamboo leaves (it’s around 90 leaves) in water for 45 minutes to an hour until it’s soft. Some people like to boil them to clean it before wrapping.
- Next, soak 10 cups of glutinous rice in a bowl for at least an hour. I normally soak it for 2 hours.
- After that, soak 5 large dried mushrooms for 4-6 hours until it’s soft. (Most of the time, I soak it the night before I use it.)
- The following, wash and soak 1 cup of small dried shrimp for 15 minutes. Drain well and set aside.
- Also, wash and soak a small bag split no skin mung bean (10.58 oz or 300 g) for 30-45 minutes.
- After soaking dried mushrooms, slice the soaked mushrooms into strips.
- Put the sliced mushrooms in a bowl, add 2 tablespoons of oyster sauce and 1 tablespoon of sesame oil. Mix it well.
- After, slice 3 pounds of pork into strips.
- Marinate pork in a bowl by adding 3 tablespoons oyster sauce, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon sugar and 1 tablespoon shaoxing cooking wine. Mix them well and let it marinate for at least 15 minutes. The best is to marinate it overnight.
- Drain the water well after soaking glutinous rice. Then, add 1 tablespoon salt and 1 tablespoon vegetable oil. Mix them well.
- Cut 8 salted egg yolks, each divide into 4 pieces.
- Cut some strings into length, so it is easier for wrapping the rice dumplings.
- Use 2 soaked bamboo leaves to fold them into a shape that can hold. Then, add some soaked glutinous rice, some soaked split mung beans, 1-2 pieces of marinated mushrooms, some soaked small dried shrimp, 1-2 pieces of marinated pork, 1 piece of salted egg yolk and cover some soaked glutinous rice.
- After that, add a bamboo leaf and wrap them. Next, use a cut up string to tighten it. See detail in the video for how to wrap zongzi.
- Put the wrapped sticky rice dumplings into an instant pot and fill up water about 85-90% to cover the rice dumplings. Close the lid and vent, push the manual button, adjust time to 45 minutes at high pressure and natural release.
Top Stove Method:
- First, wash and soak a pack of dried bamboo leaves (it’s around 90 leaves) in water for 45 minutes to an hour until it’s soft. Some people like to boil them to clean it before wrapping.
- Next, soak 10 cups of glutinous rice in a bowl for at least an hour. I normally soak it for 2 hours.
- After that, soak 5 large dried mushrooms for 4-6 hours until it’s soft. (Most of the time, I soak it the night before I use it.)
- The following, wash and soak 1 cup of small dried shrimp for 15 minutes. Drain well and set aside.
- Also, wash and soak a small bag split no skin mung bean (10.58 oz or 300 g) for 30-45 minutes.
- After soaking dried mushrooms, slice the soaked mushrooms into strips.
- Put the sliced mushrooms in a bowl, add 2 tablespoons of oyster sauce and 1 tablespoon of sesame oil. Mix it well.
- After, slice 3 pounds of pork into strips.
- Marinate pork in a bowl by adding 3 tablespoons oyster sauce, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon sugar and 1 tablespoon shaoxing cooking wine. Mix them well and let it marinate for at least 15 minutes. The best is to marinate it overnight.
- Drain the water well after soaking glutinous rice. Then, add 1 tablespoon salt and 1 tablespoon vegetable oil. Mix them well.
- Cut 8 salted egg yolks, each divide into 4 pieces.
- Cut some strings into length, so it is easier for wrapping the rice dumplings.
- Use 2 soaked bamboo leaves to fold them into a shape that can hold. Then, add some soaked glutinous rice, some soaked split mung beans, 1-2 pieces of marinated mushrooms, some soaked small dried shrimp, 1-2 pieces of marinated pork, 1 piece of salted egg yolk and cover some soaked glutinous rice.
- After that, add a bamboo leaf and wrap them. Next, use a cut up string to tighten it. See detail in the video for how to wrap zongzi.
- Put the wrapped sticky rice dumplings into a big pot and fill up water to cover the rice dumplings. Cover the lid and let it boil for 1.5- 2 hours. Remember to add some water in between.
Notes
Cooking tips for how to make sticky rice dumplings:
Bamboo leaves:
- Wash and soak bamboo leaves in water for 45 minutes to an hour until it's soft. Some people like to boil them to clean it before wrapping.
Rice:
- Soak glutinous rice for at least an hour. I normally soak for a couple hours. Then, drain the water well. Add salt and vegetable oil and mix it.
Filing:
- Wash and soak split mung beans for 30 minutes to an hour.
- Soak dried small shrimp for 15 minutes.
- Dried mushrooms wash and soak it for 4-6 hours until it’s soft. (I normally soak them the day before I need to use them).
- Marinate pork for at least 15 minutes. The best to marinate overnight.
- Salted egg yolk cut it half or quarter or as a whole depends on your preference.
- Boiling zongzi for 1.5-2 hours if using a top stove method.
- If you use instant pot Manuel 45 minutes at high pressure and natural release.
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