Monday, June 14, 2021

duan wu jie

 or the Dragon Boat Festival is celebrated today, the 5th day of the 5th lunar month. There will not be any dragon boat races this year but we will still make dumplings together as a family. 

Making “zongzi” is way too much work for a single person, thus it is family time together. But, today’s generation may not necessarily be all that keen into tedious work and making dumplings is painstaking. So, sometimes it is a group of friends coming together and getting busy with their hands and mouths (not eating, simply updating on news and gossip!) Here is Jocelyn in Adelaide, Australia getting the job done. 

A whole lot of ingredients - sticky or glutinous rice,Chinese mushrooms, water chestnuts, fatty pork (belly pork), mung beans, garlic and shallots. Bamboo leaves are soaked over night and string for wrapping the dumplings. These are for wrapping and keeping the ingredients inside during steaming, and not to be eaten.

All these condiments have to be placed "strategically" into the centre of 2 bamboo leaves.
 I use the term "strategically" as it is not merely "dumping ingredients into the dumpling." If this crucial step is not done expertly, it is a disaster as all the stuff will fall and leak out during the steaming process. And you ain't getting a dumpling, but a real mess of sticky rice.
 It takes many lessons before one wraps a GOOD TIGHT dumpling. NOT TOO TIGHT or the steam can't get in to cook the rice. But, NOT TOO LOOSE or everything falls out. Just a RIGHT TIGHT! And "zongzi" must be polyhedrons like the Great Pyramids of Giza. Alas, a dumpling like me has NEVER managed to get this step correct.
All this looks simple but making "zongzi" is quite an art.
The dumplings (NOT ME please) are put into a steamer for cooking. 

It is a team effort cos "zongzi" is so yummy, the family shovels them quickly into their mouths! These wonderfully happily wrapped dumplings are hanging and waiting to be steamed.


EXPERTLY WRAPPED and TIED - MASTER PIECES BY JOCELYN AND FRIENDS.
All Images credit: Jocelyn



15 comments:

  1. What a wonderful way to make light work of the creation of these delicious morsels.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. More fun with many hands and mouths, I agree

      Delete
  2. oh wow, it looks and sounds delicious! i enjoyed all the photos. i doubt i would ever be able to create these.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Don't worry Sandy, even I after some years of trying cannot wrap a dumpling tightly.

      Delete
  3. love to watch dragon boat festivals.... impressive event.

    Your foods sound delicious.... yummy

    ReplyDelete
  4. Yes Tanza, the races are really exciting with the loud drum beats

    ReplyDelete
  5. Replies
    1. I guess every culture has their own unique food and customs

      Delete
  6. zongzi yahh di sana, in Indonesia we call it 'bacang" :D

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes Intan, the peranakan or Bibi in Malaysia call this "bacang" too.

      Delete
  7. I've never tried one of these before but they look like delicious dumplings and it's interesting how you have to tie the leaves just right - definitely a lot of skill involved!

    Hope you're having a wonderful day :)

    Away From The Blue

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Zongzi has cultural beginnings and is celebrated to honour and remember a poet who fought against bribery and dishonour in the Emperor's palace.

      Delete
  8. Let's pray for each other WE ARE STRONGEST TOGETHER for the honor and glory of Our Lord Jesus Christ 🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌

    ReplyDelete
  9. I am a great fan of this kind of food, and I am fortunate that I can buy it in a local Asian market - and I often do,

    ReplyDelete
  10. Deliciuos food!
    Dragon boat event seems interesting.
    Have a nice weekend!

    ReplyDelete