Authentic Pork Zongzi Recipe For Chinese Dragon Boat Festival

glutinous rice

🥗Healthier: brown rice

💰Cheaper: white rice

Brown rice adds fiber and nutrients, while white rice is more economical.

pork belly

🥗Healthier: chicken thighs

💰Cheaper: pork shoulder

Chicken thighs are leaner and lower in fat, while pork shoulder is more affordable.

shiitake mushrooms

🥗Healthier: button mushrooms

💰Cheaper: canned mushrooms

Button mushrooms are lower in calories and canned mushrooms are budget-friendly.

chestnuts

🥗Healthier: walnuts

💰Cheaper: peanuts

Walnuts provide healthy fats, while peanuts are a cost-effective alternative.

Soak glutinous rice in hot water for 1 hour.

Prepare pork belly with skin on, marinate with ½ tsp five-spice powder, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tsp oyster sauce, 2 tsp dark soy sauce, and ½ tsp salt for at least 1 hour.

Soak meigancai in water for 15 minutes, drain, and rinse.

Sauté 3 tbsp cooking oil, 3 tbsp minced garlic, 3 tbsp diced shallot, and 3 tbsp minced scallion over low heat until golden.

Add rinsed meigancai and 1 tbsp soy sauce, stir over medium heat.

Prepare bamboo leaves, covering them with a damp towel to prevent drying out.

Drain soaked glutinous rice, sauté with cooking oil and 2 tsp dark soy sauce until slightly sticky.

Use two bamboo leaves to form a cone, add glutinous rice, two pieces of pork, meigancai, and more rice, then tightly pack.

Fold and tie the zongzi with kitchen twine.

Fill a pot with water, bring to a boil, add zongzi, and simmer for 2.5 hours.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary