Wrapping and Boiling Zongzi (Sticky Rice Dumplings): The Complete Process
包粽子煮粽子全过程 · pan chinese cuisine
Every Dragon Boat Festival, the author's grandmother would wrap a big pot of zongzi: soaking the rice three nights before the festival, wrapping during the day, boiling in the evening, and eating them for breakfast the next morning. She always watched the pot herself, lining the bottom with a rack to prevent scorching, keeping the water at a bare simmer over low heat, and topping up with hot water as needed. Leftover zongzi keep well frozen for up to six months, and any add-ins beyond glutinous rice should stay under one quarter of the rice's weight so the zongzi stays sticky.
Hector NunezThird-generation taquero turned home cook. Nixtamal from scratch changed my life. Happy to talk tortilla technique with anyone who'll listen.Nutrition & allergens
No supported allergens detected from surveyed ingredients.
Some ingredients are not yet allergen-surveyed; this label is not exhaustive.
Per serving (4 servings)
- Energy (kcal)
- Unknown
- Protein (g)
- Unknown
- Fat (g)
- Unknown
- Carbs (g)
- Unknown
- Sodium (mg)
- Unknown
Estimated from verified ingredient data for the original formula — not lab values, and one dish is not a full meal.
bamboo leaves (for wrapping zongzi)粽叶
50.0 piece
chi xiao dou （ gan ）［ xiao dou ， hong xiao dou ］赤小豆（干）［小豆，红小豆］
3.53 oz
zao枣
as needed
as needed
Techniques you'll use
- Simmering (dun) ↗
Gentle low-heat cooking in liquid until flavors merge and meat softens.
Steps
- 1
Step 1
Soak the glutinous rice, adzuki beans, and purple rice the night before. Rinse them well and drain, then rinse the zongzi leaves, red dates, and candied dates.
✅ Done when: The grains and beans are soaked through, rinsed clean, and fully drained, with leaves and dates washed.
- 2
Step 2
Fold a four-corner zongzi (part 1): shape the leaves into a cone and start filling and folding as shown.
✅ Done when: The leaf cone holds its shape with no gaps at the bottom before filling.
- 3
Step 3
Fold a four-corner zongzi (part 2): fill, then fold and wrap the leaves and tie the zongzi closed.
✅ Done when: The wrapped zongzi is tightly secured in a four-corner shape with no rice leaking out.
- 4
Step 4
Arrange the zongzi in a pressure cooker and place a small rack on top of them.
✅ Done when: The zongzi are packed snugly in the pot with the rack resting on top to weigh them down.
Add a bowl (to weigh the zongzi down), then add water to cover the zongzi by at least 2 cm. Bring to high heat until steam releases, then cook over low heat for 1.5 hours and let rest, covered, for 2 hours.
✅ Done when: Steam has released from the pressure cooker, and after 1.5 hours on low heat plus 2 hours resting off heat, the zongzi are fully cooked and tender.
- 6
Step 6
Remove the zongzi from the pot.
✅ Done when: The zongzi are ready to unwrap and serve.