Zongzi
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The zongzi, or rice dumpling, is a traditional Chinese food. Many other Asian cultures also claim these rice dumplings as traditional dishes. In Cantonese, these rice dumplings are called "Joong." In Taiwan, the meat version is "bah-tzang" whereas the vegetable version is "tsai-tzang." Laotians and Vietnamese also have a similar dish.
Traditionally, zongzi are wrapped in bamboo leaves. In countries where this is not readily available, banana leaf has been used. Lotus leaf is not traditionally used for the wrapping either. Each kind of leaf imparts a different kind of subtle smell and flavour to the rice.
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Origins
The origins of rice dumplings are traced to the Chinese legend of Qu Yuan, a well-loved patriot poet who drowned himself in a river called "Mi Luo", due to the imminent fall of his country Chu, which was one of the ancient Chinese kingdoms. To prevent the fish in the river from eating his body, people made rice dumplings and threw them into the river.[1] Another version of the legend states that the dumplings were made to placate a dragon that lived in the river.
Rice dumplings are made for the Dragon Boat Festival, which falls on the fifth day of the fifth month of the Chinese calendar.
Filling and cooking methods
The fillings for the zongzi vary from region to region but the rice used is always glutinous rice (also called "sticky rice"). Depending on the region, the rice may be precooked or only soaked before using. Fillings may be sweet, such as mashed yellow beans (mung beans), dates, or savoury, and may include pork, sausages, Chinese mushrooms, salted egg, and chestnuts. Some types of zongzi contain no filling at all, in which case they are usually eaten with sugar or syrup.
The zongzi is usually a pyramid of rice which encloses the filling and wrapped in dried (or more rarely fresh) leaves. Bamboo leaves are perhaps the most common, but lotus, maize, banana, canna, Alpinia zerumbet and Pandan (Pandanus amaryllifolius) leaves are not unknown. Wrapping a zongzi neatly is a skill which is passed down through families, as are the recipes. Zongzi-making was traditionally a family event with everyone helping out, but that is less common now.
The zongzi need to be steamed or boiled for several hours and one superstition says that dumplings will never cook if a pregnant woman enters the kitchen whilst they are being steamed. Dumplings may also be frozen for later consumption.
The red bean zongzi takes many hours to prepare. The red bean used to make the filling must be slowly cooked and simmered. Then when soft, the beans are drained and mashed into a paste. After that, the paste is stir-fried with oil (typically in a wok) with sugar added. This cooked paste is what is used to fill the red bean zongzi.
Miscellaneous
In 2005, the earliest zongzi ever found in China was discovered in a 700 year old tomb in De'an County, Jiangxi Province.[2]
Chinese authorities issued zongzi health warnings for the 2006 Dragon Boat Festival due to copper compounds being used to enhance the color of the leaves used for wrapping in some factories.[3][4]
There are many shape forms of rice dumpling.
See also
References
- ^ The origin of zongzi
- ^ Oldest traditional food found in 700-year-old tomb in E. China
- ^ Warning issued over toxic zongzi
- ^ China warns of poisonous Dragon Boat dumplings
External links
- Rice Dumpling Recipe
- Local Write-Up on Rice Dumpling-Singapore Lifestyle Wiki
- Kiam Bak Chang Recipe(Savoury Dumplings)
- Black and White Glutinous Rice Dumpling Recipe
Categories
Dumplings | Chinese cuisine | Rice dishes | Chinese terms | Singaporean cuisine | Malaysian cuisine