How to Make Zongzi (Chinese Tamales)

Last Updated: December 16, 2022 References

Zongzi in Mandarin, or joong in Cantonese, are traditionally eaten during the Dragon Boat Festival, which is held on the fifth day of the fifth month of the Chinese calendar, usually between late May to mid-June according to the Gregorian calendar, to honor Qu Yuan, a famous Chinese poet known for his patriotism. One legend says that after an unsuccessful attempt to prevent the kingdom in which he lived from being conquered, Yuan drowned himself, and people tossed zongzi into the river to prevent fish from eating the poet's body.

Zongzi are often called "Chinese tamales" because they are wrapped in bamboo or reed leaves and thus resemble Western tamales. Inside the zongzi is glutinous rice and a filling. While the preparation, filling, and even the way the zongzi is wrapped varies between regions and families, this article provides a general overview and some specific recipes so you can enjoy these delicious "tamales". The work is well worth the product.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Traditional Zongzi

1
Prepare the glutinous rice and filling. This may require overnight soaking. Some recipes also suggest soaking the bamboo leaves overnight.^{[1]
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- Glutinous rice goes by many names depending on country, culture or region: sticky rice, sweet rice, waxy rice, botan rice, mochi rice, biroin chal, and pearl rice. It's especially sticky when cooked. It does not contain gluten.
- Fillings are usually savory, but there are many, many variations:
  - Skinless mung beans
  - Red bean paste
  - Jujubes
  - Char siu (Chinese barbecue pork)
  - Chinese Northern sausage
  - Chinese black mushrooms
  - Salted duck eggs/yolks
  - Chestnuts
  - Boiled peanuts
  - Green beans
  - Dried shrimp
  - Scallops
  - Chicken
2
Boil the bamboo leaves. Let cool and pat dry.

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3
Scoop the rice onto the bamboo leaves.
4
Scoop the filling onto the rice.
5
Fold the leaves around the rice and filling and secure with twine. This is the trickiest part, so see the video illustrating one of the many ways you can wrap zongzi.
6
Simmer the zongzi for 2 to 5 hours (as instructed by the recipe; it will depend on the filling).

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Zongzi with Pork and Chestnut Filling^{[2]
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1
Gather your ingredients
- 5 cups glutinous rice
- 1/2 pound dried mung beans
- 20 dried chestnuts
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon Chinese five spice powder
- 10 dried Chinese black mushrooms, soaked with stems removed and caps sliced
- 20 bamboo leaves
- 1/2 pound pork belly, sliced
2
Add glutinous rice, mung beans and chestnuts to separate bowls.
3
Add enough warm water to cover the ingredients in the bowls. Soak overnight.
4
Drain the rice, mung beans and chestnuts before combining them in a large bowl. Do this after the ingredients have soaked overnight.
5
Add the salt and five-spice and stir to coat.
6
Soften mushrooms by pouring warm water over them. Cover and let stand approximately 20 minutes. Drain.
7
Discard the mushroom stems and thinly slice the mushroom caps.
8
Add bamboo leaves to a large pot.
9
Pour in enough water to cover. Bring the water to a boil and let the leaves cool.
10
Pat bamboo leaves dry before using to make the "tamales".
11
Place 2 bamboo leaves, slightly overlapping, on a clean work surface.
12
Add about 1/3 cup of the rice mixture in the center.
13
Top each mound of rice with a slice of pork and 3 to 4 slices of mushrooms.
14
Cover with about 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of rice and the mung bean mixture.
15
Fold the leaves over the "tamale" filling to enclose the filling completely.
16
Use kitchen twine or string to secure the "tamale".
17
Place tamales in a large pot, pour in enough water to cover them, and bring to a boil.
18
Lower the heat and cook until the tamales are tender, about 4 to 5 hours. Add more water, as needed, to keep the "tamales" covered with simmering water. Cook until the tamale filling feels tender when you squeeze it gently, four to five hours.
19
Drain the water from the "tamales" and serve warm.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Sweet Zongzi

1
Gather your ingredients.
- 50 sheets of bamboo or reed leaves
- Glutinous rice (1 kilogram), about 2.2 pounds
- Chinese red dried dates (250 grams)
2
Cover both rice and dates with water. Cover the bowl and let mixture soak for 12 hours or until thoroughly soaked.
3
Wash the leaves.
4
Lay out leaves on a cutting or chopping board.
5
Fold the leaves flat at the leafstalk to make a sheet.
6
Hold the sheet, fold it round in the middle and make a funnel till both ends are laid over each other in one direction.
7
Add about 1/10 of a kilogram of rice and about 6 dates. Be sure to cover the dates with the rice.
8
Fold the leaves up to seal the open side of the funnel and tie the bundle with a band made of twisted leaves.
9
Put the tamales in a pot with water to cover. Make sure the tamales remain covered and pressed together during boiling.
10
Boil tamales for about 2 hours or cook in a pressure cooker for about 40 minutes.