Northern Taiwan Zongzi 台灣北部粽子

Soak the zongzi leaves and straw if using in tub of water overnight. Rinse the glutinous rice until water runs clear. Soak the glutinous rice in water for as least 4 hours or overnight. Sieve water out, place onto a flat dish and steam for 35 mins at high heat. Let cool.

Soak the dried mushroom in warm water to cover. For the mushrooms you'll want to do this a couple hours earlier as sometimes the mushrooms take a long time to soften. When the mushrooms are softened cut off the stems and slice 7 of the mushrooms into halves and the other 2 into thin slices. Reserve soaking water.

Soak the dried shrimp in water to cover until softened, around 10 mins. Remove shrimp from water. Reserve soaking water.

Cut skin off the pork belly. Cut into 14 pieces. Heat wok and add pork, stir frying for a minute or two. Add 3 tbsp oyster sauce, 3/4 cup rice wine, 2 tsp rock sugar, 1 tbsp white pepper powder, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tbsp sesame oil and 1/2 cup water into wok. When boiling turn down heat to a simmer, cover and let cook for around 45 mins for until the pork is tender and easily pierced. Remove pork to a dish and reserve the cooking broth.

If chestnuts still have their shells, use a small sharp knife to cut an x into skin while holding the chestnut steady. Put chestnuts (with or without shells) in small pot with water to cover, bring to boil and simmer for 20 mins or until tender and easily pierced through with a knife. When just cool enough to handle, peel shell and skins off. If the skins are hard to remove, rub with a towel and it should come off. Keep the chestnuts hot when removing skins. If it cools down it will be hard to remove.

Prepare salted duck eggs. If using pre-packaged salted egg yolks just open and separate the yolks. If using the whole eggs rinse the ash off the shells, crack and remove the yolks. Rinse lightly under running water and gently dry.

Peel shallots and slice into 1/4 inch slices. Add 4 tbsp oil to wok and shallow fry the shallots until golden and soft. Remove to a bowl.

Add 1 tbsp oil to hot wok. Add in mushroom halves and shrimp and stir fry until fragrance rise, 1-2 mins. Add in 2 tbsp oyster sauce, 2 tsp sugar, 1 tsp Chinese white pepper powder and 1/2 cup water and stir fry til sauce is thickened and clinging. Turn off heat and add in half of the fried shallots and mix. Remove to dish.

To make the stir fried glutinous rice add 1 tbsp oil to a clean wok. Add sliced mushrooms. Stir fry til fragrant, about half a minute. Add the reserved pork cooking broth, steamed glutinous rice and stir fry til evenly mixed. Add in other half of stir fried shallots and gently mix in.

To wrap the zongzi, take two zongzi leaves and cut off the hard stems at the end. Fold in half so that a funnel is formed but the bottom of funnel is sealed. Keep hold of this funnel shape with firm grip between palm on the outside and thumb on the inside. (Please see our detailed explanation of triangular zongzi wrapping coming up next.) If you like to wrap it the long zongzi style please click the link.

Add in one scoop (about 1 1/2 tbsp) of stir fried glutinous rice, smoothing up along the longer side of the leaf. Add in one piece pork, one yolk, one piece mushroom, one chestnut and one small scoop of dried shrimp and shallots. Add another scoop of rice on top and smooth over everything, trying to cover all with rice. Tamp done gently with the back of a spoon until firm. Fold the zongzi leaf over the rice and fold down on the two sides so that the fillings are completely covered. Fold the bit of the leaf still sticking out over to one side. The fillings should be completely wrapped up now. Firmly tie the wrapped zongzi with string. It's important that the zongzi are wrapped firmly but gently with no holes but it's hard to do it well right away so just do your best. Repeat for all the zongzi.

Steam the wrapped zongzi for 45 mins over high heat. If eating right away remove from steamer and cut the string. Unwrap onto a plate and serve hot with sweet chili sauce 甜辣醬 or sweet soy sauce.

If not eaten right away the zongzi should be left to cool down completely and then stored in the fridge in an air tight container for up to 5 days and for months if kept in the freezer. To reheat from fridge steam for 10 mins. To reheat from freezer steam for 30 mins. Enjoy!