INFO:

It’s almost time for Zong Zi (Sticky Rice Dumplings)! With the Dragon Boat Festival coming up, my mom taught me how to make Taiwanese-style Zong Zi. Making Zong Zi is a pretty intensive process – These are the biggest tips and steps I picked up: - Make sure you soak your bamboo leaves overnight in warm water and then scrub them with a clean sponge and wash them before using. - Wash and then soak your glutinous rice for one hour. - Soak your peanuts for 2 hours and rehydrate your shiitake mushrooms and dried shrimp for 30 minutes. - Marinate your pork belly overnight. My mom marinates the meat with five spice, Shaoxing wine, salt, soy sauce, and dried shallots. -Once the rice is ready, mix in soy sauce, salt, and your peanuts. - The number of times you zig-zag your string is based on how many Zong Zi per batch you’re tying. She knots the end together and cuts the other side to prepare for wrapping. - For wrapping, you want to take two leaves and form a cone and then scoop in your rice mixture and add your other ingredients. Make sure to add a final scoop of rice, and then fold in the corners of the leaves and fold over the top portion. - For tying, my mom hangs the string from the knot she made and tightens each string as she loops the Zong Zi. This takes practice and this is the step that kept tripping me up. - To cook you Zong Zi – you can either steam or boil them. For ease, my mom boiled each batch (8 Zong Zi each) for an hour. - Let the Zong Zi rest for 5 mins and then you’re ready to eat! Please note I didn’t include measurements because my mom eyeballs everything (like most mothers do 😂). I really treasured the night, because it gave me so much appreciation for how much time my mom spends to express her love through food!