Dragon Boat Festival Special:
Sticky Rice Dumpling （Zong Zi 粽子）

Zongzi – (粽子/rice dumpling) is a traditional Chinese food, made of glutinous rice stuffed with different fillings and wrapped in bamboo or reed leaves. They are cooked by steaming or boiling.

Zongzi is eaten during the Dragon Boat Festival (端午节) which falls on the fifth day of the fifth month on the lunar calendar (approximately late May to mid June).

Zongzi - rice dumpling is to commemorating the death of Qu Yuan, a famous Chinese poet from the kingdom of Chu (楚国) who lived during the Warring States period. He loves his country so much and tries to warn and give advice to his king. But the king refuses to listen to him and as a result, Chu (楚国) was invaded and took over by Qin (秦国). Qu Yuan was very sad and drowned himself in the Miluo River. And according to the legend, packets of rice (Zongzi – Rice Dumpling) were thrown into the river to prevent fish from eating Qu Yuan’s body.

These days, Zongzi has variety of flavor depends on what ingredients are wrapped inside with the sticky rice. Also, different leaves are being used to bring out vary aromas. And besides of the traditional pyramid shape, more shapes are also being invented.

% Recipe: Lotus Leaves Rice Dumpling %
**Note: We choose the lotus leaves rice dumpling rather than the traditional bamboo leaves rice dumpling, this is because the traditional pyramid shape rice dumpling might be too difficult for a newbie to wrap.

• 600g glutinous rice
• 3 pieces dried lotus leaves
• 40g shallot, chopped
• 6 Chinese mushroom, soaked & diced
• 2 tbsp dried shrimps, soaked until soft & drained
• 1/3 cup sesame oil
• 110g pork, diced
• 6 salted egg yolk
• 2 Chinese sausage, diced
• Dark soy sauce 1/3 cup
• Water ½ cup
• Salt ½ tsp

• Soak the glutinous rice for 4 hours. Drain and steam for 20 minutes.
• Boil lotus leaves until soft. Cut into half and patted dry.
• Heat the sesame oil and stir fry shallot until fragrance. Add in dry shrimp, Chinese sausage, mushroom and pork, stir fry it. Add in dark soy sauce, salt and water. Bring it to boil. Add in cooked glutinous rice and stir fry until mix well.
• Divide the mixed glutinous rice into 6 portions.
• Wrap each portion with a salted egg yolk in a piece of cut lotus leave.
• After finish wrapping all the portions, steam them over high heat for about 15 minutes.
• Ready to serve.