Chinese food Zongzi

Chinese food Zongzi

Thezongzi or zong zi 粽子 is a food or snack to traditionalChinese glutinous rice stuffed with different fillings and wrapped in bambooleaves or reed in the manner of twists. They are known under the name chimakiin Japanese. In the West, they are known as Chinese tamales. In the Philippines, zong zi is more known as Masan. Laotians, Thaisand Cambodians also have similar traditional dishes influenced by the zongzi.

TheZong zi is traditionally eaten during the Dragon Boat Festival (Duan wǔ Jie) which falls onthe fifth day of the fifth month of the Chinese calendar (around early tomid-June), commemorating the death of Qu Yuan 屈原, a famous poet Chinesekingdom of Chu who lived during the Warring States period. Known for hispatriotism, Qu Yuan tried in vain to warn his king and his compatriots againstthe expansionism of Qin. When General Bai Qi Qing took Yingdu, capital of Chukingdom in 278 BC, Qu Yuan grief was so intense that he committed suicide inthe Miluo River after writing the poem Lament for Ying . According to legend,packets of rice were thrown into the river to prevent fish from eating the bodyof the poet. Another legend says that Zong zi were thrown to appease a dragonthat lived in the river.

Theshape of zong zi is tetrahedral in southern China cylinder in the north.

Wrapa zong zi is a skill which is transmitted in families. During production, allfamily members give a hand.

Althoughtraditionally the zong zi is wrapped in bamboo leaves, lotus leaves, corn,banana, canna, or pandanus leaves are sometimes used as substitutes in othercountries. Each type of leaf prints its own smell and gives a unique flavor tothe rice.

Thefittings used for zong zi vary in each region, but it uses only sticky rice.Depending on the region, rice may be slightly blown or soaked in water beforeuse.

Forthe filling, you can use mung beans, red bean paste, jujube, pork (salted,sausage …), Chinese black mushrooms, salted duck eggs, chestnuts, peanuts,green beans, dried shrimp, Saint-Jacques scallops, chicken, taro, turnip slicesdried shallots, etc.

Thezong zi should be steamed or boiled for several hours. Once cooked, it caneasily be frozen for later consumption.

Variations

–Jia Zong : instead of glutinousrice, using beads mochi. They are generally smaller than most zong zi and wellsticky.

–Shuijing Zong or “crystallineZong zi” are not filled zong zi made with a special glutinous rice, cookedlong, has a slightly translucent paste wherein the rice grains have“melted.” They are eaten cold or slightly frozen, dipped in powderedsugar, syrup or honey.

–Jianshui Zong or “alkalineZong zi” are usually eaten as a dessert. Sticky rice is treated with aqueoussodium carbonate that gives them a yellow color. They usually contain nogarnish or are filled with a sweet mixture (eg, sweet bean paste) and are oftenconsumed with sugar or syrup.

–Nyonya or Nianre Zong Zong : specialtyPeranakanne kitchen. They are similar to the zongzi southern China exceptthat the packaging is made of pandanus leaves.

Recently,varieties containing expensive ingredients-based jokes due to their rarity ortheir medicinal virtues have appeared; they are given as gifts.

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