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4.9 from 42 votes

Shortcut Sticky Rice Dumplings (Zongzi)

This recipe is a shortcut to zongzi (Chinese sticky rice dumpling) flavors without all the work. No need for hours of wrapping and cooking!

Prep Time
6 hrs
Cook Time
1 hr mins
Total Time
7 hrs 30 mins
Servings: 6
Calories: 675 kcal
Course: Others
Cuisine: Chinese

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 cups uncooked sticky rice  (also called glutinous rice or "sweet rice")
  • 8-10 dried bamboo leaves
  • 1/2 pound pork belly
  • 2 tablespoons light soy sauce (divided)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt (plus 1 teaspoon, divided)
  • 1/2 teaspoon dark soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
  • 1/2 teaspoon sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
  • 1/2 cup raw shelled peanuts
  • 2-3 Chinese sausages (lap cheung; cut into small chunks)
  • 2-3 scallions (chopped)

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Soak the uncooked sticky rice overnight (or at least 6 hours). Soak the dried bamboo leaves for at least 3 hours (or overnight). After soaking, wash and rinse each leaf front and back, keeping them in a large bowl or tub of water so they don’t dry out. 
  2. Cut the pork belly into ½ inch bite-sized pieces, marinate it with 1 tablespoon light soy sauce, 1/2 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon dark soy sauce, 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine, 1/2 teaspoon sugar, and ½ teaspoon white pepper. Marinate for 1 – 2 hours in the refrigerator.
  3. Soak the peanuts for 1 hour. Then boil for 10 minutes, drain, and set aside.
  4. Drain the soaked sticky rice completely. Mix the rice with 1 tablespoon light soy sauce and 1 teaspoon salt in a large bowl.
  5. Add the peanuts to the rice along with the Chinese sausages and scallions. (If adding cooked salted duck egg yolks and/or soaked dried seafood, you can mix them into the rice as well).
  6. Line a bamboo steamer (or large shallow heatproof bowl) with 6-7 bamboo leaves. These bamboo leaves will provide flavor to the rice as well as prevent it from sticking. All with a layer of rice mixture, a layer of pork belly, another layer of rice mixture, and a layer of pork belly on top. Make sure everything is evenly distributed (so it can cook evenly).
  7. Cover the mixture with the remaining bamboo leaves to trap in moisture as well as the bamboo leaf aroma. If using a bamboo steamer, you can simply put on the cover. If using a heatproof bowl to steam, you can use a toothpick to keep the bamboo leaves in place on top of the rice. 
  8. Place the rice in the steamer, starting with cold water. Turn on the heat to high, and once the water starts to boil, steam for 60-90 minutes. Check periodically to make sure there is still water in the steamer, and add hot water if needed. 
  9. Keep in the steamer on low heat until ready to serve. The rice will harden if cooled. Serve hot! 

Notes

  • Note: Using this shortcut method, the sticky rice won’t get as gooey as the rice in traditional zongzi, which are cooked in a pot with water, but it’s a trade-off when it comes to time savings here. You CAN try to achieve a slightly gooier texture by adding 1/2-3/4 cup water to the rice right before steaming. 

Nutrition Information

Calories 675kcal (34%) Carbohydrates 66g (22%) Protein 18g (36%) Fat 37g (57%) Saturated Fat 12g (60%) Cholesterol 54mg (18%) Sodium 817mg (34%) Potassium 337mg (10%) Fiber 4g (16%) Sugar 1g (2%) Vitamin A 68IU (1%) Vitamin C 1mg (1%) Calcium 30mg (3%) Iron 3mg (17%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 6Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 675

% Daily Value*

Calories 675kcal 34%
Carbohydrates 66g 22%
Protein 18g 36%
Fat 37g 57%
Saturated Fat 12g 60%
Cholesterol 54mg 18%
Sodium 817mg 34%
Potassium 337mg 7%
Fiber 4g 16%
Sugar 1g 2%
Vitamin A 68IU 1%
Vitamin C 1mg 1%
Calcium 30mg 3%
Iron 3mg 17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.