This is a recipe for a sticky rice cake called "Zhongzi" that you'll find in a lot of Chinese breakfast cuisine AKA "dim sum." This one adds to our TV & Film Hack series and is inspired by Season 4 of The Legend of Korra, which prominently features this dish. They're wrapped in bamboo leaves and are super easy to take on the go, which I think is why you see them in film and TV as food for nomadic/traveling characters (like Korra and Bolin from The Legend of Korra).
I know not everyone's going to be able to find a lot of these traditional Chinese ingredients, so I also tried out a few non-traditional "fusion" ideas that should be a bit more accessible. Hope you try it!
Yields 24
INGREDIENTS
21 oz glutinous rice
48 bamboo leaves
butcher’s twine
INGREDIENTS (Traditional Sweet Zhong Zi)
4 tbsp red bean
1 can sweetened red bean paste
INGREDIENTS (Traditional Savory Zhong Zi)
2 lap cheung (Chinese sausage)
4 shiitake mushrooms
4 tbsp low sodium soy sauce (or 2 tbsp full sodium soy sauce)
1 tbsp sesame oil
2 tbsp oyster sauce
2 tbsp Shaoxing wine
1 star anise pod
INGREDIENTS (Western Bacon Zhong Zi)
4 strips bacon
4 white mushrooms
1/2 medium onion
2 tbsp low sodium soy sauce (or 4 tbsp full sodium soy sauce)
2 tbsp brown sugar
4 tbsp garlic powder
4 tbsp chili powder
INGREDIENTS (Western Sausage Zhong Zi)
1 kielbasa sausage
1 jalapeno
1 lime
Kosher salt
PREP
SUBMERGE the rice, red bean, and bamboo leaves in water, and soak over night
TRADITIONAL SWEET ZHONG ZI
FORM a cone with two bamboo leaves
FILL it in layers first with rice, then red bean paste, then rice, then red bean, then rice
FOLD the top of the cone closed tightly, then tie it closed with butcher twine
TRADITIONAL SAVORY ZHONG ZI
SOAK the shiitake mushrooms in boiling water for 10-15 minutes until tender.
RESERVE 1/3 cup mushroom water after soaking
Slice the mushrooms and lap cheung, then place in a bowl with reserved mushroom water
ADD soy sauce, sesame oil, oyster sauce, shaoxing wine, and star anise pod, then marinate overnight
FILL in layers with rice, filling, rice, more filling, and rice
FOLD the top of the cone closed tightly, then tie it closed with butcher twine
WESTERN FUSION BACON ZHONG ZI
SLICE the bacon, onion and mushroom
Marinate in soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic powder, and chili powder for 30 minutes
FILL in layers with rice, filling, rice, more filling, and rice
FOLD the top of the cone closed tightly, then tie it closed with butcher twine
WESTERN FUSION SAUSAGE ZHONG ZI
SLICE the sausage and jalepeno
Marinate in lime juice and kosher salt
FILL in layers with rice, filling, rice, more filling, and rice
FOLD the top of the cone closed tightly, then tie it closed with butcher twine
ON THE STOVE
BOIL the zhong zi with sweet and savory ones separated for 2 1/2 hours
SERVE immediately, or freeze (reheat in a steam basket for 20 minutes, when ready to eat)