Zong Zi

One of my favorite Chinese holidays is the Dragon Boat Festival. Not only can you watch the dragon boat race, you can also eat an endless supply of zong zi 粽子. That is... if you're in Taiwan! I grew up helping my grandmother making these triangular leaf wrapped goodies! Every region of China has a slightly different kind of zong zi. My zong zi, my mama's style is made with round sticky rice with peanuts, shiitake mushrooms, pork belly, salted duck egg yolk.

Braised Peanuts with Soy Sauce and Star Anise

Braised Pork Belly

Shiitake Mushroom cooked in some Pork Belly Braising Liquid

I first soaked the round short grain glutinous rice over night in water. Steamed the rice in the bamboo steamer with a cheese cloth underneath it for 20 minutes.



Stir the rice with some stir fried fried shallots and dried shrimp and drizzle the soy based braising liquid from the pork belly into the rice and stir to combine.


Then comes the wrapping...


Steaming the zong zi for 20 minutes and voila!


And by request, here are some sweet potato gnocchi with green bean soup 綠豆芋圓湯, a Taiwanese dessert. The sweet potato gnocchis are made with steamed mashed sweet potato mixed with sweet potato flour.