Just in case this is the first time you’re reading about zongzi (粽子), it’s basically a Chinese version of a tamale: rice wrapped inside a leaf, then boiled in water until it’s cooked through and softened. They can be made savory or sweet, and everyone has their favorite flavors. Bill pretty much only likes the zongzi recipe that we are posting here today—with salty duck egg yolk and the tender, fall-apart pork belly, which is what his mother used to make when he was growing up.
My personal favorite is my aunt’s lye water zongzi (碱水粽). Despite the weird name, it’s a very basic zongzi with a distinctive yellow color and subtle flavor. Unfortunately, I haven’t had it for over thirty years, since I left Shanghai when I was a teenager. The moral of the story is—don’t judge a zongzi by its name! In fact, you might apply that truism to most Chinese dishes…
Other Asian countries also have their own variation of this special treat. When I was little, I don’t remember anyone buying zongzi (粽子), because every family made their own. It’s actually a very special event. My grandma and my aunt used to make at least two to three varieties each time, and it was a huge production! It was a daylong affair with preparations started the night before. In fact, if you’ve ever had the pleasure of having someone make these for you, you should be very appreciative—it’s a lot of work and very few people know how to make these well.
Wikipedia has a great write-up about the tradition of making zongzi, and since it’s so elegantly written already…
“Zongzi are traditionally eaten during the Duanwu Festival (Mandarin: Duānwǔ; Cantonese: Tuen Ng), which falls on the fifth day of the fifth month of the lunar calendar (approximately late-May to mid-June).
A popular belief amongst the Chinese of eating zongzi involved commemorating the death of Qu Yuan, a famous Chinese poet…Known for his patriotism, Qu Yuan tried unsuccessfully to warn his king and countrymen against the expansionism of their Qin neighbors. When the Qin general Bai Qi took Yingdu, the Chu capital, in 278 BC, Qu Yuan’s grief was so intense that he drowned himself in the Miluo river after penning the Lament for Ying. According to legend, packets of rice were thrown into the river to prevent the fish from eating the poet’s body.”
The story is a bit grim, yes, but that’s how the story goes! Zongzi used to be only a once-per-year, homemade treat for the Duanwu Festival (Just in case you are wondering, this year’s Duanwu Festival is on June 20), but now they are available in Chinese grocery stores year-round with many variations. I never buy them, mainly because I never know how long they’ve been sitting on the shelves. As the mother of a Chinese family, I feel a sense of duty to master this zongzi recipe in order to carry on the tradition and pass it down. If you find yourself in my shoes, you must give this zongzi recipe a try this year, and if not, then next year. You will make your mother and your grandmother proud. If you’ve never had zongzi before, and want to try them, you’ll make US proud.
Preparation for this zongzi recipe is relatively easy, except for the actual time commitment and the step of actually wrapping the zongzi. Some people can wrap these babies with speed and ease, but for others, it can devolve into mission impossible-level fumbling (ahem…let’s just say that Bill had some difficulties). But with a little practice, and our step-by-step instructions, you’ll be folding them properly in no time. And as far as size and shape are concerned, let’s say there is no right or wrong—as long as it’s wrapped tight and does not open up during cooking, it’s a success!!!
Making zongzi is a fairly labor-intensive process. We’ve outlined the preparation of each component below, followed by directions for putting the zongzi together, and finally, directions for cooking. If you want more tips on the different types of Zongzi and some cool pictures and videos, see our latest post, China’s Dragon Boat Festival & Rice Dumplings Galore! Also, don’t miss our post on Jianshui Zong Alkaline Rice Dumplings if you are looking for the sweet version! We also have a Shanghai Zongzi version made with light and dark soy sauce!
Here’s the full list of ingredients you’ll need. We’ll break it down for you to prepare each component.
- 36 to 40 dried reed leaves (2 to 3 leaves per zongzi)
- 5 cups uncooked short grain sticky rice (also called glutinous rice, or “sweet rice”)
- 2 tablespoons light soy sauce, plus 2 teaspoons
- 2 teaspoons salt, plus 1/2 teaspoon
- 2/3 cup of raw peanuts
- 1 pound pork belly, cut into 12 equal pieces
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 2 teaspoons shaoxing wine
- 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
- 1 teaspoon oil
- ½ cup water
- 6 salted duck egg yolks
- 3 Chinese sausages (lop cheung)
To prepare the zongzi leaves:
- 36 to 40 bamboo leaves (use 2 to 3 leaves per zongzi)
First, soak the leaves overnight. The next day, wash and rinse each leaf front and back, keeping them in a large bowl or tub of water until wrapping time so they don’t dry out.
To prepare the sweet rice:
- 5 cups of short grain sweet rice
- 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons salt
Soak the sweet rice overnight. The next day, drain completely in a colander. Mix the soaked, uncooked rice with light soy sauce and salt in a large bowl and set aside.
To prepare the peanuts:
- 2/3 cup of raw peanuts
Soak the peanuts overnight. The next day, boil for 5 minutes, drain, and set aside.
To prepare the pork belly:
- 1 pound pork belly, cut into 12 equal pieces
- 2 teaspoons light soy sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 2 teaspoons shaoxing wine
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
- 1 teaspoon oil
- 1/2 cup water
In a bowl, toss the pork belly with the light soy sauce, sugar, shaoxing wine, salt, and white pepper. Marinade overnight. The goal of this step is to make the pork belly slightly too salty, because the rice will absorb the excess salt, giving the zongzi its distinctive savory, umami flavor.
Heat the oil in a wok over medium heat. Cook the pork belly for a few minutes before adding the water. Cover the wok with the lid, and cook for 5-10 minutes until the liquid is gone. Remove from the wok and let cool.
To prepare the additional ingredients:
- 6 salted duck egg yolks
- 3 Chinese sausages (lop cheung)
Cut the egg yolks in half. Cut the sausages into 12 equal pieces. Set aside in separate bowls.
Wrapping the zongzi:
Woo! Good job. Now you are all set to wrap these little bundles of deliciousness. We’ve provided step-by-step photos for how to wrap the zongzi below.
Before you start, there are a few things to remember:
- You must use kitchen shears to cut away at least half an inch off the bottom of every leaf where the leaf stem is since can easily puncture your precious zongzi while wrapping.
- Make sure the kitchen twine won’t break easily. To do this, it’s best to wet the twine first by soaking it in a bowl of water.
- It’s best to tie one end of the twine to an anchor point or kitchen fixture (e.g. you kitchen sink), because you will only have one hand to tie the zongzi. Your other hand will be holding the zongzi. Or have someone help you out! Making zongzi is like making a big batch of dumplings or wontons—all hands on deck! Just make sure that the newbies are holding the strings and the seasoned pros are doing the folding! Hah!
- If leaves rip anywhere during the wrapping process, you’ll need to start over and discard the ripped leaf. That’s why I call for more leaves than is technically needed. Some of the leaves are bound to get ripped.
Start by layering a couple leaves together and folding up the bottom to create a cone.
Fill with a little rice on the bottom, along with your egg yolk, peanuts, pork belly, and Chinese sausage.
Top with a bit more rice.
Fold the two sides into the middle lengthwise, cupping your hands at the bottom of the cone so it doesn’t fall apart.
Pinch the leaves at the top so you get a tight seal.
Fold the Zongzi leaves down…
And tie the zongzi securely. Just get it tightly sealed. Doesn’t have to be pretty. Cut off the excess on the leaves with your trusty kitchen shears.
And that’s it! Now do it a bunch more times until your leaves and filling are used up.
To cook the zongzi:
Get a medium-sized pot and neatly nest the zongzi inside, avoiding large gaps. Put a large plate directly on top of the zongzi to weigh them down. Fill the pot with cold water, until the zongzi are submerged. Place the pot on the stove over medium high heat. Once the water boils, turn the heat to low/medium-low, and let it simmer for at least 7-8 hours.
The water should be “moving” while simmering, but there should be no large roiling bubbles. You must check the pot fairly often to make sure the zongzi are always submerged in water. Only add boiling water to adjust the water level—do not add room temperature or cold water. Keep a kettle of hot water on the stove so that you’re prepared throughout the 7-8 hour cooking time.
Once the 7-8 hours is up, eat the zongzi while they’re hot! Sweet zongzi can be enjoyed at room temperature, but savory zongzi are really the best when they’re steamy and delicious.
Some useful tips for enjoying your zongzi:
- To eat, simply cut the twine and unwrap the leaves to reveal the zongzi inside.
- Zongzis can be frozen after they cool to room temperature. To reheat, first defrost the zongzi by taking it out of the freezer a few hours prior to cooking time. Re-boil the zongzi in water for 15-20 minutes.
- Zongzi are usually served as is, but who’s gonna stop you from eating them with your favorite chili sauce? No one, that’s who!
- Finally, if you’re just over this whole “wrap them in a leaf” thing, you can alternatively steam the rice in a bamboo steamer. Simply line the steamer with the bamboo leaves, cut away the excess, fill with rice, and all your toppings, and steam for about an hour or so until done, longer if you like a more softer texture. It’s not traditional, but it’s definitely the lazy man’s way out!
- 36 to 40 dried bamboo leaves (2 to 3 leaves per zongzi)
- 5 cups uncooked short grain sticky rice (also called glutinous rice, or "sweet rice")
- 2 tablespoons light soy sauce, plus 2 teaspoons
- 2 teaspoons salt, plus ½ teaspoon
- ⅔ cup of raw peanuts
- 1 pound pork belly, cut into 12 equal pieces
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- 2 teaspoons shaoxing wine
- ½ teaspoon ground white pepper
- 1 teaspoon oil
- ½ cup water
- 6 salted duck egg yolks
- 3 Chinese sausages
- First, soak the leaves overnight. The next day, wash and rinse each leaf front and back, keeping them in a large bowl or tub of water until wrapping time so they don’t dry out.
- Soak the sweet rice overnight. The next day, drain completely. Mix the soaked, uncooked rice with light soy sauce and salt in a large bowl and set aside.
- Soak the peanuts overnight. The next day, boil for 5 minutes, drain, and set aside.
- In a bowl, toss the pork belly with the light soy sauce, sugar, shaoxing wine, salt, and white pepper. Marinade overnight. The goal of this step is to make the pork belly slightly too salty, because the rice will absorb the excess salt, giving the zongzi its distinctive savory, umami flavor.
- The next day, heat the oil in a wok over medium heat. Cook the pork belly for a few minutes before adding the water. Cover the wok with the lid, and cook for 5-10 minutes until the liquid is gone. Remove from the wok and let cool.
- Cut the egg yolks in half. Cut the sausages into 12 equal pieces. Set aside in separate bowls.
- Now you are all set to wrap these little bundles of deliciousness. Follow the step-by-step photos to wrap them. Remember:
- - You must cut away at least half an inch off the bottom of every leaf you use.
- - Make sure the kitchen twine won’t break easily. To do this, it’s best to wet the twine first by soaking it in a bowl of water. It’s best to tie one end of the twine to an anchor point or kitchen fixture (e.g. you kitchen sink), because you will only have one hand to tie the zongzi. Your other hand will be holding the zongzi. Or have someone help you out!
- - If leaves rip anywhere during the wrapping process, you’ll need to start over and discard the ripped leaf. That’s why I call for more leaves than is technically needed. Some of the leaves are bound to get ripped.
- To cook the Zongzi, get a medium-sized pot and neatly nest the zongzi inside, avoiding large gaps. Put a large plate directly on top of the zongzi to weigh them down. Fill the pot with cold water, until the zongzi are submerged. Place the pot on the stove over medium high heat. Once the water boils, turn the heat to low/medium-low, and let it simmer for at least 7-8 hours.
- The water should be “moving” while simmering, but there should be no large roiling bubbles. You must check the pot fairly often to make sure the zongzi are always submerged in water. Only add boiling water to adjust the water level—do not add room temperature or cold water. Keep a kettle of hot water on the stove so that you’re prepared throughout the 7-8 hour cooking time.
- Once the 7-8 hours is up, eat the zongzi while they’re hot! Sweet zongzi can be enjoyed at room temperature, but savory zongzi are really the best when they’re steamy and delicious.
Bea Wong says
My mom and her friends made these every year. The pork belly was not seasoned nor cooked prior to use. There was also green lentils used and whole duck eggs rather than halves. I always put extra sausage in mine as I love that flavor. Thanks do much for the post.
Judy says
You are very welcome. Pork is much better when marinated. Hope you can give this recipe a try.
D CHAN says
This recipe is certainly not the traditional one by a far margin. The traditional one is the one wit the shelled green beans and without the sausage. Of course there are variations but surely the traditional and basic recipe should be respected and not being misrepresented
Bill says
Hi D Chan, sounds like we both have different ideas of traditional. ;-) I have never had any Zong with shelled green beans but NYC Chinatown and our family always had a seasoned piece of pork belly, so we agree on that one for sure. Happy cooking!
Loressa says
Agreed, I think we all have different ideas of what’s traditional, and like many other recipes, what’s “traditional” can vary by region. I’m from Seattle, and the ones here are made with Chinese sausage, peanuts, egg yolk, another savory meat (sadly, I don’t know what it is), and a sweeter Chinese sausage…which is my favorite part! Have never seen one with a shelled green bean, not even when I bought one in San Francisco’s Chinatown to try.
Judy says
Hi Loressa, peanuts or no peanuts, mung bean or no mung bean, tradition is what we “carry” with us. It is what we learned from our elders, it is what we grew up with, it is what we want to pass on to our children and grandchildren.
Cecilia says
My family is from Canton and we’ve never added green beans and always lap cheung. Sometime we would add mung bean or lap yuk (preserved pork).
The recipe is authentic and the rating is unjust. I am looking forward to making this recipe and will post my review afterwards.
Judy says
Thank you so much for your kind comment, Cecilia! Hope to hear from you soon :-)
Denise says
If i’m using fresh bamboo leaves, what should i do? Do i still have to soak it in the water or boil it?
I’m planning to make this rice dumplings this weekend, so i thought i have to prepare 2-3 days in advance.
Thank you before!
Judy says
Hi Denise, no need to soak or boil fresh bamboo leaves, but it is a good idea to wash each leaf front and back with a soft, clean kitchen cloth.
Gregory Tung says
Thanks for posting this recipe, my wife is from Gong Zhou and she make them this way.
I was wondering if you have the recipe for the Shanghai style? I’ve never made them, but I do go to various store to buy them. More and more of these store are closing and I cannot find new stores to buy them. I would appreciate it if you could post the recipe, if you have it.
Judy says
Ok, Gregory, I will post a Shanghainese meat zongzi for next duanwujie. As you know, the rice in Shanghai zongzi is more flavorful which I like.
Anh says
If I use a pressure cooker to cook this, how long should I boil this? Thank you!
Judy says
Hi Anh, I don’t use pressure cookers, so it’s hard to say. Depends on how tightly you wrap the zongzi. I think the cooking time is longer than cooking beef.
Clara says
I did 35 mins on high in my instant pot. turned out wonderful!
Jennifer Peltier says
I am making zhongxi for the second time.
I like the traditional and I mix it up a bit too.
Creativity in the kitchen ?
Judy says
Yeah, Jennifer, I am all for creativity in the kitchen. You go, girl!
Kathy Yu says
I think my grandma folds them the same way you do but folds it tighter? It seems smaller and the lines are neater so it looks nicer. And she uses string both horizontally and vertically.
Anyways, I am SO LOOKING FORWARD to trying these!!! I have always wanted to learn and now I can! I’m gonna have a zonzi party with my friends.
Judy says
Hi Kathy, I noticed that the cooking time shortens a lot if zongzi is not stuffed and wrapped too tight. Like my lye water zongzi, I did not stuff and wrap them too tight and they only took 2.5 hours to cook. I do like shorter cooking time :-)
Richarf says
Does it really take 7 hours to cook???
Bill says
Hi Richard, When you make the Zong large, it does take a long time to cook, or the rice at the center does not come out cooked properly. My mom used to stay up late and watch the huge pot, turn the flame off, and leave them soaking in the hot water overnight so the net time in the pot was even longer!
We have wanted to try a pressure cooker, but probably the best modification is to make them smaller like the Gan sui Joong recipe Judy just posted. This reduces the cooking time significantly, although you can’t compare the cooking times of the two types directly as the lye water (Gan sui) reduces the overall cooking time. That said, making the savory version smaller should reduce the cooking time by at least half. Happy cooking!
Dylan says
How long would it take in a pressure cooker and on what setting?
Bill says
Hi Dylan, we have never used a pressure cooker before, but you could try a batch for an hour and do a taste test to see if they are cooked through. If not, return them to cook and adjust the time until you get it right for your pressure cooker. The reason why it took so many hours is that a huge pot is required to boil one large batch. It simmers slowly, and boiling water needs to be added. Using a pressure cooker to make several batches may still take several hours in total unless you have an unusually large one.
Mei says
I can’t wait to make zongzis with an adaptation of your recipe. My maternal grandma passed away unexpectedly last year and she was the master of making/wrapping these. Although she did start skimping on some of the delicious fillings in her old age! My mother is useless when it comes to making zongzi. Haha… Anyway, thanks for a wonderful recipe in English for us ABCs who live far from home.
Judy says
Hi Mei, yes, publishing traditional recipes in English is one of our website’s main objectives. Bill and our two daughters are ABCs like you.
Makealah says
Hey! What are the salted duck eggs supposed to taste like inside the zongzi? I followed this recipe but the vacuum packaged egg yolks I found at the Asian grocery were a slightly different color than yours, and I am thinking the batch wasn’t good because they were very hard and dry after the zongzi was done cooking. Other than that, these were very good! I just want to know if I need to give salted duck eggs another try. The only thing I did different in my recipe is I folded mine in a triangular shape… growing up, that is always how my Chinese teacher made them, and it seemed like I didn’t really have an option there, haha!
Thank you!
Judy says
Hi Makealah, the salted duck egg yolks are somewhat dry and hard. Do feel free to omit it because it will not change the taste of the rest of zongzi :-)
Renee says
‘This makes me miss my grandma! I used to assist her making zongzi every year. The only difference is that she doesn’t cook the porkbelly beforehand. She simply soaks them in marination juice for a few hours before putting them in zongzi. So the pork fat will envely coat the rice when your steam the zongzi later.
Thanks for the post! I’m literally drooling right now.
Judy says
You are very welcome, Renee! Plan to make them on your own now?
Caroline Lang says
I used the bamboo steamer method and it worked beautifully! I’ve tried boiling zongzi which was great as well, but steaming is so much faster (and eliminates having to wrap!). Zongzi is one of my absolute favorites and I’m glad I now have an easy recipe to use on a regular basis.
Judy says
Hahahaha! I knew the easier “method” would catch someone’s attention. Love it!
Betty Banovic says
How long did you steam it. I’ve tried wrapping a dozen times. Im all for the easy way!!
Judy says
Hi Betty, you can steam it for about an hour or so until done––longer if you like a softer texture.
John says
I l this website . I love cooking, And now I’m trying Chinese cooking
Judy says
Hi John, you have come to the right place. Just so you know, this recipe is not an easy one to start because the wrapping technique takes some practice. Check out the video in this Zongzi post, I think it will be helpful:-)
Jillian says
These are AMAZING! The aroma in my house as they were cooking and the flavors brought me back to my childhood memories of going to our favorite corner store in Philadelphia Chinatown…Thank you for sharing <3
Judy says
Lovely comment, Jillian! Thank you for sharing your memory!
Tom says
There is an Asian Market in Sacramento, CA that has these delivered twice a week from someone who makes them locally. They have two different kinds, one with peanuts and one with pork. I love them. Unfortunately, I live 250 miles from Sacramento and don’t get there very often.
Judy says
Hi Tom, 250 miles is far enough that you might have to give these a try yourself. hehehehehe….
Tom says
I will be making them. Thank you for sharing!
Judy says
Great! Thank you, Tom.
Betty says
I’ve made this. I like your recipe additionally. Some of the items – substitutions – I found salt pork at the regular store and wonder if hamhocks (smoked) would work. A pressure cooker can be used and you can cut the cooking time to about 2 hours.
Judy says
Hi Betty, salted pork would be better than smoked hamhocks. BTW, thank you for the tip of using a pressure cooker. I know it will reduce the cooking time, but I’m really not comfortable with it.
Ryan says
Thanks for this. I regret not asking my grandmother how to make these before she passed, and the other before she went kookoo for cocoa puffs.
I’ve been experimenting myself for a couple of years, but this is the first recipe that recreates the kind I ate as a kid when my grandmothers still made them… and the instructions are in English.
Judy says
Hi Ryan, this is one of the reasons why we started this blog, to have these awesome traditional (and new) recipes in English.
janine says
I love your website as I am using it to make all my favourite chinese recipes that I cannot find else easily or as authentic. But I do make these every year and 7 hours is way too long to cook them. 4-5 hours is long enough for the rice. I think you wash the rice but you don’t soak it. Maybe that’s why it takes 7 hours to cook? But after washing, if you soak it for 15 minutes then drain it and leave…it will definitely cook in 4 (I check at 4 hour to 5) hours. that 15 minutes will save you the 2-3 hours of cooking time. I can give you a recipe with the lye water it too if you don’t have it.
Judy says
Hi Janine, I would love to have your lye water zongzi recipe. Thank you for your offering.
austinsong says
This sounds just like the ones my grandmother would make. I wish I had learned from her. Thank you.
Judy says
You are very welcome!
Rachel says
I have a pressure cooker at home and instead of simmering it for 7 hours, can I wrap them up with the leaves and steam it in the pressure cooker instead? Do you know how long it’ll take roughly?
Or even better, can I pressure cook it directly or would it break the zongzi?
Judy says
Hi Rachel, sorry, I don’t cook with pressure cookers, I really don’t feel comfortable giving any advice about it.
Vee says
Hi Rachel,
I love my pressure cooker, and I bet you can absolutely make these in a fraction of the time with the same results. You might want to research pressure cooker recipes for making various types of tamales as a guideline. There are plenty of these recipes online. Start with a small batch and experiment until you find the perfect amount of time. Be sure to post your results.
Cécile says
Hello,
I have not read all comments so maybe I missed the answer but for the lazy man’s option of steam one big bamboo plate, how long should it take? 7 hours like for the simmering technique? Or less?
Thank you!
Cécile
Judy says
Hi Cecilie, steam it and taste the rice along the way. Stop when you feel the texture has reached the result you want. But it definitely should not take 7 hours.
Ann says
I am so thrilled to come across your blog! It’s like a treasure that you find every morning when I log on in the morning. The wrapping seems simple enough but would it prevent the water from seeping into the sweet rice?
Bill says
Hi Ann,
The key is to wrap the Zong tightly so the water won’t seep into the rice. Hope you give it a try! The holiday where we eat these wonderful zongzi will be upon us soon!
Mei says
I am so glad, I read this page all the way down to the comments. Previously I read up to how many leaves were needed and bookmarked it.
My mom makes zong every few months for us. My sister and I don’t eat pork or beef . So she makes traditional ones for the boys in our family. And for us girls, she makes without pork . But she uses a chicken only lap cheong(home made ). She is very generous with the peanuts, we all love it. Sometimes she mixes whole but soaked green beans with the rice. I honestly think she makes the best zong. She’s never had any complains . People rave and beg her to make more .
So much work, my mommy !! I have to show her, the unwrapped version. look Ma, We only need to soak a few leaves and we don’t need to boil all day!!!
of course, the deconstructed dish will be for meals at home only . My mom’s fan’s will be very sad, if she gives up wrapping .
Don’t worry , I will learn to make zong The classical way …one day.
Judy says
Hi Mei, I couldn’t agree with you more. Mom’s food is always the best! How often do we hear people say, “my mom makes the best (fill in the blank)”?
June Rennick says
Thank you for the picture of shrink-wrapped salted duck eggs! I didn’t know they are packaged and sold that way!
These bring back good memories from my childhood in the 50’s & 60’s when my aunts would come round with their specialties. As kids we called these sticky rice grenades.
Judy says
You are very welcome, June!
Sarah says
Hahaha glad the recipe could bring back some memories, June!
Cat Mac says
Sticky Rice grenades, that’s awesome! I’m going to start saying that now! Lols!
The kids will get a huge kick out of that!
Judy says
hahahaha…what a name.
Rhea says
Hi! We just recently visited Hong Kong and one of the restaurant we went to suggested we tried this and I ate one every single day we were in HK and even brought some home.
I searched for the recipe and luckily I came across your blog. I would just like to ask what can I use in place of the bamboo leaves? I would really like to try doing this but I cannot find bamboo leaves here in the middle east. Thank you! ?
Judy says
Hi Rhea, lotus leaf is a good alternative. If you can’t find that either, you can still enjoy the sticky rice with meat by steaming (see the photo and instructions at the very end of this post). Here are also some other sticky rice recipes you might consider trying (requires no leaves): , , , .
Nick says
I love jung!! My grandmother used to make a pork belly version where all the rice was seasoned with sweet soy sauce. Now my mom s the only one who knows how to make that version. With your guidelines, maybe now I will try and make them for myself.
Judy says
Hi Nick, I feel the same way, we will never be able to fill our parents’ and grandparents’ shoes, but we need to start trying.
Jude says
My question is out of pure curiosity as I’ve no plans to make these. I’m like Freddy Ng – I can buy ready made ones at my Asian grocery.
In the Chinese countryside where bamboo can be found, was zongzi ever made using fresh bamboo leaves? Or does it have to be dried first? I also had wondered about that with dried lily bud flowers since the petals of the opened flowers can be eaten and taste like crunchy (but not watery) lettuce with very faint garlic overtones. Mind you, a person has to know it’s only day lily that’s edible. Oriental and Asian lily is poisonous!
Judy says
Hi Jude, I have seen fresh leaves being used and I understand they are preferred. We use the dried leaves because fresh leaves are just not available here.
Freddy Ng says
Being quite lazy and not a very good cook I prefer to buy my “joong” in Chinatown (NYC) – only $2 at my favorite bakery…..!
Judy says
Hi Freddy, sounds like a good alternative.
Jennifer says
I love your blog! I made zongzi (I call them jung) on Thursday night and all day Friday. It took forever, and I was glad I made it. Now I know all the work my mother has to put in. Your recipe has way too little salt, by the way. Mine was a pretty bland. My mother says you have to add tons of salt. I’m thinking 2 or 3 tablespoons for 5 cups of rice, but not sure.
I will have a zongzi making party soon. My pescatarian roommate wants to make some that she could eat. I’m going to use dried scallops. Any recommendations for non-mammal fat for the slight greasiness that you get from pork belly?
I wish you would make a zongzi wrapping video. Mine were so ugly, and I made a huge mess. That was the most difficult thing for me. Yours look so nice!
Judy says
Hi Jennifer, zongzi party, how fun! Also, thank you for your feedback on the salt. Bill likes to add salt when eating, and so does his family. I’m with you on the salt, but Bill fells strongly about it and we decided to do it his way. You can definitely adjust the salt to your own taste.
Fran says
Where did you buy the packaged salted duck egg yolks? The ones I’ve seen at the Asian market are fully cooked with whites attached, which are not so good.
Judy says
Hi Fran, the salted duck egg yolks are sold in a vacuum pack in the refrigerated section, next to the eggs at your Asian market. Hope your Asian market carries it.
Betty Lai says
Thanks for the great illustrations & the recipe. A video (pictures are worth a thousand words) would help, especially the wrapping of the zongi. I can replay several times to get the hang of it. I don’t like the wrapping that fold over and flatten the top. It makes the zongzi shorter and stubby looking. The Cantonese style is the elongated triangular look. But it’s probably harder to hold & fold so the corners are sharp & facing correctly. I think you can also add a 3rd leave to make the wrapping easier and enclose all the fillings. Fold the 3rd leave to the left forming a sharp edge on the bottom (of the triangle), pinching the top portion & fold all the leaves forward (forming the left & right corners of the triangle) on the top.
This is the recipe I’ve been searching for. I love the idea of being able to make it yourself b/c you can put whatever your want in. The store bought ones are very skimpy – hardly anything and the leaves are not washed thoroughly. Also with the Avian Flu in the birds, people are leery about the eggs. And I try not to buy anything “made in China” (who knows what’s in them?) Do you have a recipe for making your own salted eggs? I heard it takes about 50 days to make them and chicken eggs are used instead of duck eggs, which are hard to find.
There are other versions where the cooking time takes on a few hours. My mom boiled them for 6-7 hours. I’ve tried making zongzi with some of my friends but I never really got the knack of wrapping it to look nice. I have also cooked them in a pressure cooker. The cooking time is cut down considerably, done in about 1 1/2 or 2 hours.
Can banana leaves be used for the wrapping? Will these leaves hold up to the 6+hours of boiling?
Sarah says
Hi Betty, thanks for your comment, and for sharing your experiences! We’ve been experimenting some with video, and are pretty much total noobs at it, but we’ll see! We don’t yet have a recipe for making salted duck eggs. We’ve tried it with chicken eggs before with mixed results. As to the banana leaves, I’m actually not sure. Because these are traditionally done with bamboo leaves, that’s what we tend to stick to. ;)
Jennifer says
My Mom and Grandmother always made the shape that you guys did here. My mom’s from Hong Kong. If you do a video, I hope you do it the same way.
Judy says
Hi Jennifer, will definitely keep this mind. Thank you for your feedback.
Jonathan Liu says
Hi! Just one question about the zongzi: Is the 5-cup measurement for the uncooked rice in the smaller cups from the bags of rice, or in US cup measurements? Thanks in advance!
Jonathan Liu says
Hi! Just a question about the rice: Is the 5-cup measurement for the rice with the smaller cups from bags of rice or US cups? Thanks in advance!
Judy says
Hi Jonathan, it’s the US cup.
Chris says
so I tried to make this… and after several tries had a good technique… but my leaves kept tearing despite the fact that i soaked them for 2 days… any suggestions? the leaves were pretty old… maybe a couple of years…so maybe that was the problem?
in any case, i’m stuck with a mound of rice that i need to cook… can i cook it in a crockpot? rice cooker? if do, how much water should i use? if i use a crockpot, how long should it cook? high/low?
Judy says
Hi Chris, while folding, the pressure from your palm and all fingers must be even, press too hard at any one point will cause the leaf to break. You should try again. If that doesn’t work, try the steamed version shown at the end of this post (it’s still very tasty.) The fact that these rice has been soaked for a long time, it’s best to steam the rice and there is no need to add more water. Let me know if you need suggestion to use up these rice.
Chris says
Thanks for your response… I have another question… The stems on the leaves are still tough and hard to bend, even when soaking for two days… Is there anything I can do to make them more bendable?
Judy says
Hi Chris, you are right, the tough part has to be removed. One of the photos in the post showed to cut away 1/2″ to 3/4″ of the stem and it’s mentioned in the things to remember. Have a look.
Lynnette says
Ah! I love Zongzi! Coming from a family with Cantonese heritage and another with a Malacca Peranakan heritage, I enjoy both versions. Loved the Zongzi that my grandmother used to make which had roasted chestnuts with that salty duck egg. Delicious. And they do a Nyonya version with glutenous blue rice and minced lamb, a bit on the sweet side but also equally delicious! I wish I had the time and patience to make certain types of chinese food. Some of it is so simple and others are incredibly technique driven like this dish. :) Maybe one day when I am on unemployment hiatus :)
Judy says
Hi Lynnette, I totally understand. We hesitate to post time-consuming recipes sometimes, but we also feel strongly to post authentic recipes. Have the comfort to know that this recipe is here when you are ready for it one day. In the meantime, try out our easy version at the end of the post now. ^_^
FEL!X says
Gorgeous&delicious!
Just prepared it «the lazy man’s way out» in a bamboo steamer, lined with banana leaves (I have been told the big bamboo leaves from my garden are not adequate to the dried ones I know from a Chinese shop earlier in Switzerland). I measured 1/3 of your recipe for two persons: still quite much, but WE EAT ALL! Instead of only egg yolks I used 2 full salted duck eggs, which are available here in every Thai market.
Thank you for this delicate dish and best regards from Thailand,
FEL!X
Judy says
Wow, how cool is that! You made me very proud. Thank you so much for sharing your story.
Emily L says
Thanks for this recipe! It looks like the kind my mum makes but she’s never had the patience to measure her ingredients so that I could replicate. These are my second favorite type of zongzi after the Taiwanese version. Will you attempt to make Taiwanese zongzi in the future? I would love to learn how to make them.
Judy says
Hi Emily, I’d love to try to make the Taiwanese zongzi for next year. Thank you for the suggestion.
Lena says
This recipe is amazing. I grew up eating the same version as this one. My mom would mix the peanut with the rice so it would be all through the “Jung.” Nowadays I think she buys them fresh from the bakery.
I recall my great-grandmother, my poapoa, and my mom making these in PoaPoa’s kitchen while we all waited for them to be ready. A little drizzle of dark soy sauce on it and yummy!
Dad eats the mung beans version with a little sugar.
Then there’s the sweet one with delicious sweet paste in the middle.
Mmmmm…. I’m hungry now! Thank you!
Judy says
Hi Lena, same scene can be seen in so many families, and that’s why this dish is so traditional. With this recipe, I hope to motivate people to make their own and to carry on this tradition. Thank you so much for sharing your story.
Jana says
I’ve never had these homemade and I’ve wondered for years how to do it. Wonderful illustration. They are on my list. Your site is absolutely fantastic. Thank you.
Judy says
Thank you, Jana, the time has come to make these babies yourself. ^_^
Nico says
This is so cool! I’m of Mexican descent, and a Chinese tamale is exactly what this looks like.
I would love to try this as a change of pace from the traditional Mexican tamale.
Judy says
Hi Nico, we would love for you to try this recipe and share your experience with us.
dee says
My mother put in yellow beans. Any advice as to that? Tx!
Judy says
Hi Dee, do you mean soybean or yellow lentil? I can see using yellow lentil, but not sure about the soybeans though.
A. Tam says
They would be split yellow mung beans. The first time I tried making them, I used split peas not knowing the difference. It was gross.
Kallah says
I remember my mom had the ingredients in the house…but I do not remember her making them….I was too young to really understand it all – about 5 years old.
The version we had were similar to Bills with added mung beans in them. As I grew up, mom stopped making them and then we would get them freshly made from the Chinese grocery store. Now, I buy them frozen.
My kids have not eaten these due to allergies (nuts and sesame oil). They have recently grown out of the sesame allergy. Perhaps I will introduce them to these. Too bad they have no desire to learn how to make these :(. It is a heck of a lot of work for one person.
Kallah says
I just remembered, I was told they had to be shaped with 5 sides for good luck.
There was a movie that had a scene where the actors tried to make these and the person that could not fold them correctly came up with a mold to place the ingredients in then tie it up. I wish I could remember the name of that movie…
Judy says
Hi Kallah, I wish you can remember that movie’s name too, it would be so fun to watch.
Tora says
Just stumbled upon your website and LOVE the recipes! I’ve made zongi before and the wrapping process can be tricky. It helps if you cut all your kitchen twine to the same long lengths and anchor one end down (tie one of the ends to a door knob or have someone assist holding the string). Zongi freeze nicely after they are cooked. simply allow them to cool down, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and freeze. To reheat, simply allow to come back to room temperature and steam until hot.
The scene that Kallah is referring to is from the 1985 Wayne Wang movie, “Dim Sum: A Little Bit of Heart” where the daughter’s boyfriend constructs a metal form to help hold the bamboo leaves in the pyramid shape so that it can be filled and wrapped more easily. The movie is in English and Cantonese. Really worth checking out especially to figure out how to make that zongi form!
Judy says
Hi Tora, this movie sounds delightful. hope I can find it…I know I will enjoy it. Thank you so much for sharing.
Peter says
Have you tried to use a pressure cooker to boil the zong? I’ve read that this will drastically shorten the cook time…
Judy says
Hi Peter, I personally am afraid to use pressure cooker, so I have never tried that.
Gerlinde @ Sunnycovechef says
I’m hungry and I could eat several of these . As always you gave such great instructions that I can try to make them. Thank you
Judy says
You are very welcome, Gerlinde. Hope you will give it a try.
Glynis Lailann says
I remember my Dad making these. I think I am going to do the ‘lazy Susan’ way as you have very kindly shown us above. No doubt, I will be hearing all the aunties & uncles tutt-tutting away in my ear.
Judy says
LOL…that just means that you are still young. When you get to my age, you will feel the “need” to make the really thing, trust me!
Betty| le jus d'orange says
Holy crap, this looks SO GOOD. Omg. And duan wu jie is coming up soon!! My mom makes a Shanghai-version that I’m going to replicate later, but it only has braised pork, no salted egg or sausage. I think that’s the version I’ve ever had, and this Cantonese style one looks SO DIVINE. I agree – it’s pretty simple but the hard part is definitely the wrapping. I had to watch my mom like a hawk when she wrapped hers… I even took a video so that I can replicate it when I’m across the country!! Gah, love this post so much <3. So many memories :)
Judy says
Hi Betty, thank you so much for commenting. Traditions are memorable; And traditions involve food are some of the best memories, like yours.
Maxine says
Great- now it’s 2:15am and I’m starving. That’ll teach me to catch up on Feedly when the toddler wakes me up!! Haha
Similar to the above question- instead of simmering for 7-8 hours, do you think 7-8 hours in a crockpot would work?? Same set up (covered in water, weighed down). Thanks!!
Judy says
Maxine, definitely. I think it’s a great alternative. Just make sure the setting is similar to simmering on the cook-top.
Daphne says
Hello Judy, do you think this recipe will work in a rice cooker as well – a more “short-cut” method as compared to the steamer method?
Judy says
Very interesting question…I don’t see why not. Put the leaves at the bottom of the rice cooker (you don’t even need to cut them), add the rice (mixed with salt and soy sauce), then arrange the (slightly cooked) pork belly, cooked peanuts, Chinese sausage and egg yolk on top. But you do need to add water to cook the sweet rice. I think it would be pretty awesome.
Donna says
Despite your clear and concise instructions, I have one question: Is it recommended to “oil” the leaves beforehand to prevent the rice from sticking to the leaves?
Judy says
Hi Donna, no, there is no need to “oil” the leaves.
Lily says
Great post! I read this while (sheepishly) eating my lunch: zongzi purchased from my local Asian supermarket.
I still remember when I was a teenager and my grandma came to stay with us for a month and wrapped enough zongzi to last us the entire year. I didn’t appreciate it at the time, but now I know how much love and hard work went into making them.
It’s sad that food prep like this is going the way of the dodo. I hope this post prompts some people to break out the bamboo leaves and have a grand zongzi party.
Judy says
Hi Lily, I couldn’t agree with you more. We need to carry “it” on for our kids.
Pey-Lih says
God Bless you! You are SO appreciated. I have always wanted to make this but did not know how to. I think my mom made this once when I was a kid (probably because there was so much work involved – I don’t know). Thank you so much for sharing this recipe step by step! I have not seen the bamboo leaves sold at my local asian market. Can you get this online?
Judy says
Hi Pey-Lih, talk to your Asian market and see if you can pre-order the leaves. They might have special order on the leaves as Duanwu Festival approaches and more people will be looking for them. Hope you’ll get to make your very own zongzi this Duanwu Festival.
J.S. @ Sun Diego Eats says
My grandma always made Shanghai style zongzi and I haven’t had good zongzi in ages. My favorite way to re-heat it was to actually microwave it so that the rice at the edges caramelizes. SO GOOD. Maybe I’ll try my hand at making them myself, although it seems a lot harder to find a recipe for Shanghai style zongzi.
Judy says
Hi J.S., I might be able to help you with the recipe if you can describe your grandma’s Shanghai style zongzi. The reason I ask is because every family makes their own versions.
Christina says
I loved making these with my mom when I was little – we made the Northern kind though, sweet not savory. Pop a date at the bottom, one bamboo leaf only, and just rice and Chinese sausages. Once they were cooked, we used to dip them in sugar and eat them (incredibly unhealthy in hindsight) but I loved them. I should make some this time around, start a new tradition with my own family this year.
Judy says
Hi Christina, that’s the spirit! Hope to see photos of yours.
Heather (Delicious Not Gorgeous) says
This is the kind I’m accustomed to, as well. I’ve heard that my grandma’s version was legendary, but she’s since stopped making it, because, as you said, it’s time-intensive. Can’t wait to try this recipe!
Judy says
Hi Heather, I know you will make your grandmother very proud when you make these for her.