Thursday, May 28, 2009

Rice Dumplings/ Zongzi


Zongzi is traditionally eaten during the Dragon Boat Festival which falls on the fifth day of the Fifth month of the Chinese calender. You can read more about it here. I decided to make Hokkein Bak Chang this year (Meat Dumplings) as it was easier to prepare for me. All items ready for wrapping. I added dried scallops with my dried shrimps this year. The other ingredients were Chinese dried chestnuts, Chinese dried mushrooms, 5-spices pork and for my glutinous rice I added mung beans in it.


Nicely wrapped waiting for boiling. For the rice that was soaked overnight, the boiling time was only 1.5 hours. However, I didn't prepare enough rice, so I had to use the glutinous rice that was not soaked and for that the boiling time took 3.5 hours.


Zongzi that was done and ready to be served.


The inside was packed with ingredients. I didn't make Zongzi last year and I sort of lost my touch because my Zongzi turned out not salty enough. Luckily it can be saved by sprinkle some salt on top before serving. Enjoy and Happy Duan Wu Jia!

25 comments:

Pei-Lin said...

Hello there! Very yummy-looking dumplings! You did a great job! Since I left home, I haven't had dumplings for 3 years in a row!! Keep up the wonderful job and 端午節快樂!!

Anonymous said...

Now you have really made me homesick. I want some of those dumplings so bad. the dumplings that I get here in california are just not the same as the ones i grew up with in Singapore. yours however look seemingly close .... bet it must be deliciously yummy and sinful!!!

tigerfish said...

I like hokkien chang too! Where you get the leave wrappers?

Family First said...

Wow! You so keng! Can even make bak chang! I helped my MIL do it this year, but my wrapping not up to her standard . hahaha. Need more practise I guess.

Blur Mommy said...

Yum! That looks really good! I had totally forgotten about the dumpling festival.:)

Charmaine said...

Delicious! Totally forgot about this festival this year until a friend rang me. So, no dumplings. :(

Beachlover said...

wow!! your zhong zhi is really nicely wrapped!! so pro,can sell la!! I just finis wrapping and cooking my zhongzhi at 12 am!! kind of late right but it's ok...we don't give prayer ,just to makan makan only!! told my mom that I wrap zhong,she ask "did your zhong have 4 angles eh" ! haha!

danny kwok said...

Yummy...looks good! I can sink my teeth in those!

SueSue said...

Wah your Zhongzi so nicely wrap. Mine all out of shape. :) I find it is so hard to tie the Zhongzi.

pigpigscorner said...

I totally forgot about the Dragon Boat festival. Don't think I'll be making any this year =( YOur dumplings look perfectly wrapped! Any tips? I always make a mess out of it.

ICook4Fun said...

You make me miss home just looking at your homemade 'chang' Wish I can have some. I never like the chang here. Is nothing but some white rice, mung bean and a piece of fatty pork. I still like our Malaysian Hokkien chang. You did a great job wrapping it.

Sonia ~ Nasi Lemak Lover said...

your Zongzi look delicious, I never do zongzi before, always wait for my mum to send it over, I must try it later..Good job.

Cindy Khor said...

i miss bak chang/dumpling... the only way i can get here is to make them myself..but there are many steps required and i don't think i'm hardworking enough to make them... i miss the juivy succulent pork and the silky egg yolk and the chewy mushrooms...

food-4tots said...

Nice-looking dumplings!You are making me drooling now....!

sue said...

OMG..LCOM..you are so clever to make this Rice Dumplings..you even know how to tie the traditional triangle shape..Wow!!..I missed this dumpling so much since my Mom Passed away..she is the only one who knows how to make these dumplings..M'sian style!!!:-(

Claire said...

They look great! Did you fry the rice first with shallots, soy sauce and spices? hats off to you for wrapping all of these by yourself!

Little Corner of Mine said...

Thanks Pei-Lin and happy Duan Wu Jia to you too! I know for us living overseas, we have to make in order to eat! 很麻烦是吗?

Yes Anon, it was yummy and we are savoring every bite. Very fulfilling after the hard work. :P

Tigerfish, we can get the bamboo leaves at Asian supermarket here. I got the strings at Lowe's.

Hi Family First, yes practice makes perfect! I had years of practice already. :)

Thanks Blur Mommy. I know it's always fall in May so just had to search online for the exact date.

Aww Charming. Nevermind, you can do it next year.

Haha Les, your mom so funny lah. I saw your chang before, and I know you wrapped it very well too. Will hop over to see your chang next. :)

Thanks Danny. Hope you can get some chang at your place.

Thanks SueSue. If you see my chang, I tied it individually and not in bundle. So, it's easy for me to tie it.

Pigpigs, don't think there is any tips, but practice makes perfect.
;)

Thanks Gert. I think it's too costly to ship chang, but Les is making some chang, maybe can ask her to freeze a few for you?

Thanks Emile. Yeah, should go over and help your mom to make one day and then you will know how to do it yourself later. :)

Yes Cindy, many steps involved since the ingredients have to be precooked. Then, wrapping and boiling will take the whole day. Definitely hard work!

Thanks food4tots. Sorry for making you drool. :P

Thanks Sue. Living overseas is like that lah, everything has to be hands on. Also, I just loved rice dumplings so had to make it. You know I am not that hard working right, but for something that I really loved, then had to do it. :P

Little Corner of Mine said...

Thanks Claire. I did fry the rice first with shallots, dark soy sauce and spices. But for the second batch of the glutinous rice that was not soaked before (the ones that took 3.5 hours to simmer), I was too lazy to fry it, I just mixed in the sauce with spices, no different at all.

nath said...

I love Bak chang, It's made from rice or gluten rice, but I prefer that is made from gluten rice, yummy!

@ GiGi House of Beauty said...

u r really good in mastering all these skills....GOOD JOB!

TINTIN said...

I never try making this before,..i just buy it this year..too busy and no time to prepare it. You hv done the great job...

Little Corner of Mine said...

Nath, bak chang is made from glutinous rice. :)

Thanks Gigi, have to lah, living overseas and yet "tian jiak"!

Thanks TinTin.

SIG said...

Wow C, those look very good! I am partial towards nonya zhang though. :) Great job girl!

hikkie said...

WOW, they look so delicious, with lots of great filling...
I wish I could make them as well...however, I have been buying mine, but you are really tempting me to give it a shot! The store bought ones are never quite as good as homemade ones!

I guess it just takes practice and just like any Chinese dish, it is not to difficult but just takes time to prepare...

http://spaghettofu.blogspot.com/2009/05/dragon-boat-festival.html

Noob Cook said...

haiz, another zongzi jie has passed and I still haven't learnt. Yours look inspiring... for next year lol