Duanwu Festival (端午节) is just around the corner. It is a traditional festival in China, also called the Dragon Boat Festival or the Zongzi Festival. It falls on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month on the Chinese calendar. This year, it is on June 26th.

Making and eating Zongzi is one of the traditions my family observes for the Duanwu Festival. What are Zongzi? Zongzi are glutinous rice dumplings wrapped in bamboo or reed leaves. They are cooked by boiling or steaming and served either hot or cold. Zongzi were initially used to worship ancestors and gods and later became a festival food. Depending on regions, Zongzi can be sweet or savory, steamed or boiled, in a pyramid or a cone shape. Each family has its recipes passed down verbally or in writing.

As a family tradition, one or two weeks before the Duanwu festival, my mother would throw a dinner party and invite friends and families over to make Zongzi. It was a fun project to spend time with friends and families. I loved the time when the house was filled with the fresh aroma of bamboo leaves and rice.

I have been homesick lately, missing family in China, as it seems unlikely to go back to visit them this year due to the Pandemic. This time my homesickness was far more than a twinge of nostalgia that can usually be cured by a video chat with families. I wanted to give actual hugs to my mother and indulge myself in her food. As an alternative, I decided to fill my homesick stomach with home-made zongzi. But I never made zongzi from scratch before since my mum has been the one who prepares all the ingredients. My role in the past was to help her wrap the zongzi after she had made all the preparations. I called my mother and asked her to show me how to make zongzi step by step.

Here, I want to share with you one of my mother’s Zongzi recipes—Zongzi with Sweet Red Bean Fillings (豆沙粽子).

Ingredients You Need to Make This Zongzi Recipe

Dried or fresh bamboo leaves. Fresh ones are hard to come by in the US. I suggest looking for them at local Asian grocery stores. They usually carry them in the weeks leading to the festival.

Glutinous rice also called sweet rice. It is a type of rice that is sticky after cooking. It doesn’t contain gluten, so it is safe for people with gluten-allergy to consume. They are available at local Asian grocery stores.

Red bean Paste. You can get pre-made red bean paste from stores or Amazon. I felt store-bought ones are far too sweet and prefer to make it at home. To make it at home, you need azuki beans, brown sugar, molasses, and salt.

Kitchen twine. Use kitchen twine to tight zongzi to prevent fillings coming out during cook. Many people find this is the most challenging step.

Making Zongzi is a Two-day Project

Day One – Initial Preparation for the Leaves, Rice and Red Bean Paste

1. Soak dried bamboo leaves in clean water overnight. Put something heavy like a cast iron lid on the top of leaves to make sure they are completely underwater.
2. Soak glutinous rice in a large bowl overnight. The ratio of water and rice is 2:1, which means with 2 cups of rice, you need 4 cups of water. Glutinous rice will expand after soaking.
3. Make sweet red bean paste. If you prefer store-bought ones, skip this step. If you want to make the paste at home, follow this recipe.

Day Two – How to Cook and Assemble Zongzi

1. Soften the bamboo leaves: Bring a pot of water to boil and add a tsp of cooking oil. Then add the leaves and blanch for about 10 minutes. This step will help leaves become softer and more pliable when folded. After 10 minutes, take out the leaves. Use a clean towel to wipe off any standing water on each leaf. Use kitchen scissors to cut off the leaf stems.
2. Prepare the glutinous rice: After soaked in water overnight, the rice expands quite a bit. Drain the water away and rinse it again. Add a tsp cooking oil and thoroughly mix with the rice.
3. Make the red bean paste balls: Use a spoon or a scooper to make 15 equal sized red bean paste balls.

How to Assemble Zongzi with Bamboo Leaves

1. A bamboo leaf has a smooth side and an abrasive side. Take two leaves, stack them together with the abrasive side facing each other. Have the stem ends pointing in opposite directions and overlap the leaves by eighty percent.
2. Hold them together as one piece. Fold from one-third of the leaves into a cone shape. Make sure there is no opening on the tip, otherwise rice would come out during cooking.
3. Fill one-third part of the cone with rice. Add one red bean paste ball, then cover the fillings with more rice. Gently pat the top so that it is level with the front edge of the cone.
4. Use your thumb and index fingers to hold around the cone. Fold the rest of the leaves down to completely cover the rice. Fold the extra leaves to the side following the shape of the Zongzi.
5. Wrap a long piece of cotton twine tightly around the Zongzi multiple times to seal it tightly, then tie a knot to secure. If you tie the Zongzi loosely, the filling may fall out during the cooking process.

How to Cook Zongzi – Instant Pot Pressure Cook or the Classic Boiling Method

Option 1 – How to Cook Zongzi with an Instant Pot

I highly recommend cooking zongzi in an instant pot, which saves time and attention. Add 15 Zongzi to the Instant pot and fill the water to the maximum level. Close the lid. Set it on high pressure and cook for sixty minutes, followed by a natural release. Then it is safe to take the Zongzi out.

Option 2 – How to Cook Zongzi the Classic Way

Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add the Zongzi in and make sure they are all submerged in the water. Turn the heat to low to medium-low and let it simmer for about 2 hours. Check the pot every 20-30 minutes to make sure that the water level is always above the Zongzi. Replenish with more boiling water if needed.

How to Eat Zongzi

Zongzi are served either hot or cold. Personally, I like them cold. Cut the twine and remove the leaves before eating. Drizzle some honey or syrup of your choice over the Zongzi. Or dip it in granulated sweeteners like cane sugar or Monk fruit.

Zongzi with Sweet Red Bean Fillings Recipe

• Yield: 15 Zongzi
• Prep Time: 50 minutes plus soaking time
• Cook Time: 60-120 minutes

Ingredients

• 30-35 sheets dried bamboo leaves
• 2 cups glutinous rice
• 2 cups sweet red bean paste*
• Kitchen twine

Note:

*You can get pre-made red bean paste from grocery stores or Amazon. You can also make red bean paste at home.

Instructions

1. Soak dried bamboo leaves in clean water overnight.
2. Soak 2 cups glutinous rice with 4 cups water in a large bowl overnight.
3. Make the red bean paste filling if you prefer home-made.
4. Blanch soaked leaves in a pot of boiling water for about 10 minutes. Then use a clean towel to wipe off water on each leaf. Use kitchen scissors to cut off leaf stems.
5. Rinse and drain the rice after soaking overnight. Add a tsp cooking oil and thoroughly mix with the rice.
6. Use a spoon or a scooper to make 15 equal side red bean paste balls.
7. Assemble the Zongzi according to the step-by-step descriptions in the Assemble the Zongzi section in this article. If you are a visual learner, my video on how to make this Zongzi recipe may be helpful.
8. Cook the Zongzi with an Instant Pot. Add 15 Zongzi to the instant pot and fill the water to the maximum level. Set it on high pressure and cook for sixty minutes, then followed by a natural release.
9. Cook without an Instant Pot. Add the Zongzi to a large pot of boiling water. Turn the heat to low to medium-low and simmer the Zongzi for about 2 hours.
10. Enjoy the Zongzi either hot or cold with honey, maple syrup, or granulated sweetener of your choice.