Let’s discover a typical Chinese dish, zongzi

Zongzi are a typical Chinese recipe based on rice stuffed with spiced meat. Wrapped in bamboo leaves they are a simple and particular dish.

Zongzi, more simply zong, is a typical Chinese recipe based on glutinous rice stuffed with meat and wrapped in bamboo or rush leaves. It is usually steamed or boiled and, depending on the area, it can take on different shapes, from the most common triangular to cylindrical. There are also various recipes for the filling but undoubtedly the most traditional is based on pork flavored with soy sauce and five spice powder. The idea of ​​adding mushrooms, especially the shitake variety, is excellent.

Zongzi is usually prepared on the occasion of the Dragon Boat Festival , celebrated on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month which usually falls between the end of May and the beginning of June. According to legend, the zongzi were thrown into a river to appease the hunger of a dragon that lived there.

How to prepare zongzi recipe

1. First, place the bamboo leaves to rehydrate , completely covered in water, for at least 12 hours.
2. Then put in a bowl the minced meat, 1 tablespoon of dark soy sauce, 2 tablespoons of light soy sauce, the 5 spice powder (they are nothing more than fennel, cinnamon, star anise, carnation nails, black pepper all in powder and mixed), rice wine, sugar and salt and mix well. Cover and leave to marinate for 2 hours.
3. Rinse the glutinous rice 2-3 times by placing it in a fine mesh strainer then season it with the remaining light and dark soy sauce and a pinch of salt.
4. Now that all the ingredients are ready, all that remains is to assemble: slightly overlap two bamboo leaves and fold them crossing them to obtain a cone . Place a spoonful of rice on the bottom, then a spoonful of meat and finally another spoonful of rice to cover. Close the leaves forming a triangle then seal with string.
5. Boil the zongzi in boiling water for 2 hours then serve them by removing the outer bamboo wrapping.

Do you want to try another very famous Chinese dish? Here's the recipe for sweet and sour chicken !

storage

The zongzi will keep for 2-3 days in the refrigerator in an airtight container. We recommend consuming them at room temperature.

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