Recipe for Meat-Filled Zongzi: Ingredients: Pork shoulder, glutinous rice (meat-to-rice ratio approximately 3:5, e.g., 3 pounds meat to 5 pounds rice), soy sauce, salt, sugar, chicken bouillon, cooking wine. 1.Preparation: Bamboo leaves: If using fresh leaves, wash them, trim the root ends (with two small points), boil water, and blanch the leaves for 3-5 minutes. If using dried leaves, soak them overnight until softened, trim the root ends, then process as fresh leaves. Rice: Rinse quickly to minimize water absorption.Drain the rice in a colander and let it sit briefly (the rice will absorb a little water). Add soy sauce and salt (use slightly more soy sauce). Meat: Remove the skin, separate the lean and fatty meat, and cut into 3-4cm cubes. A 1:2 ratio of lean to fatty meat is ideal. Marinate the meat with cooking wine, soy sauce, salt, a little sugar, and chicken bouillon powder. Use more wine for flavor, and less soy sauce.Knead the meat by hand until it foams, indicating the seasoning has fully penetrated.
This filling is incredibly rich and nutritious—meaty aroma, egg yolk fragrance, shiitake mushroom depth, zongzi steam, and a hint of scallion. Another irresistibly fragrant meat zongzi!! Come give it a try. Feel free to customize with red beans, nuts, or whatever you like.
2. Wrapping Method:
Identify the front and back of the bamboo leaves (the hairy side is the back; distinguish by the leaf vein—the side where the vein bulges outward is the back). Place the front side inward and wrap into a pillow-shaped zongzi. Secure tightly with cotton thread or straw rope. The tightness of the knot significantly affects the taste. Each zongzi must include fatty pork; otherwise, it won't be delicious.3. Cooking steps: Use a large, deep pot. Place the zongzi inside and add water until they are fully submerged. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to low heat and simmer for 3 hours. Even the largest zongzi will be tender after 2-3 hours on low heat.
Cooking Tips
Add salt, light soy sauce, and oil to the glutinous rice according to taste. Soak beans for at least six hours. Season pork belly to your preference; marinating overnight enhances flavor.Ham is quite salty, so blanch it first to reduce saltiness. Placing a steamer rack and plate in the pot prevents excessive rolling during cooking, keeping the zongzi intact. Adjust cooking time based on size and quantity.
After over an hour of gentle simmering, the meat zongzi are ready to serve.Unwrap the palm leaves to reveal golden, polygonal rice dumplings with a glossy sheen. Their natural, fragrant aroma instantly whets the appetite. Dip them in peanut butter and garlic paste before taking a bite—the dumpling's flavor spreads through your mouth with the steam, leaving an unforgettable aftertaste. You should definitely give them a try—they taste amazing!