Savory Pork Sticky Rice Dumplings in Bamboo Leaves

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A hallmark of the Dragon Boat Festival, these pyramid-shaped sticky rice parcels are slowly simmered in bamboo leaves until tender and richly savory. Each bundle hides a treasure of marinated pork belly, dried shiitake, and salted egg yolk, with the leaves imparting an earthy, tea-like aroma to every grain.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (estimated)

• 520 kcalCalories
• 22 gFat
• 8 gSaturated Fat
• 58 gCarbs
• 3 gFiber
• 2 gSugar
• 18 gProtein
• 920 mgSodium
• 340 mgPotassium
• 60 mgCalcium
• 3 mgIron
• 2 mgVitamin C
• 85 mcgVitamin A

Ingredients

For the sticky rice

• 2 cups glutinous (sweet) rice, rinsed
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
• 1 tsp fine sea salt
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 tsp five-spice powder

For the pork filling

• 8 oz pork belly, skin removed, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp five-spice powder
• 4 dried shiitake mushrooms, rehydrated and diced
• 4 salted duck egg yolks, halved
• 8 peeled cooked chestnuts (optional)

For wrapping

• 20-24 dried bamboo leaves, soaked in warm water 2 hours
• Cotton kitchen twine, cut into 18-inch lengths

Directions

1. Rinse the glutinous rice under cold water until clear, then soak for 4-6 hours or overnight. Drain well and toss with soy sauce, dark soy sauce, salt, oil, and five-spice; set aside.
2. Meanwhile, combine pork belly cubes with soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, sugar, and five-spice. Marinate at least 30 minutes at room temperature, or refrigerate up to 4 hours.
3. Lay two bamboo leaves smooth-side up, overlapping to form a cone. Add 2 tablespoons of seasoned rice, then a piece of pork, a shiitake piece, half an egg yolk, and a chestnut. Top with another tablespoon of rice, pressing gently to compact.
4. Fold the leaves over the filling to enclose it into a tight triangular pyramid. Wrap firmly with cotton twine in both directions, knotting securely so the dumpling holds its shape.
5. Repeat with remaining leaves and filling to make 8 dumplings. Place them seam-side up in a large heavy pot and cover with cold water by at least 2 inches.
6. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat, then reduce to a steady simmer. Cover and cook gently for 3 hours, adding hot water as needed to keep the dumplings submerged.
7. Turn off the heat and let the dumplings rest in the cooking water for 15 minutes to finish steaming in residual heat.
8. Lift out with a slotted spoon, drain briefly, and cool 5 minutes before unwrapping. Serve warm, ideally with a drizzle of sweet soy sauce or chili oil.

Cook’s Notes

• Soak the rice overnight so the grains break easily when pressed; this ensures a tender, fully cooked center after simmering.
• Tie each dumpling tightly—loose parcels will absorb water and turn mushy. A properly wrapped zongzi feels like a firm, flat pyramid.
• For deeper color and flavor, brush the marinated pork with 1 teaspoon of dark soy sauce before assembling.
• Refrigerate cooked dumplings up to 5 days or freeze up to 2 months; reheat by steaming 12-15 minutes rather than microwaving, which toughens the rice.
• Use long-grain glutinous rice if available; short-grain varieties can turn gummy during the long simmer.

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