The hardest part of making traditional Chinese zongzi is the assembly. Each family has a slightly different way of making zongzi, which come in a handful of different shapes and sizes. In my family, we prefer to make zongzi in the triangular style popular in Taiwan.
This post is Part 2 of How to Make Zongzi. Click here for part 1.
ASSEMBLY
Below are all the ingredients we have prepared that will be wrapped into the zongzi I know and love.
First, you need to hook the looped end of the cotton string onto a hook where your zongzi will hang once assembled.
Now comes the actual assembly. I was going to take pictures of the process step by step, but it is so complicated it is much easier to just make a video.
My mom makes the assembly look easy, but it took me several tries before I could even make it to the string!
When you have used all the strings to make a dozen, steam for 45 minutes. Repeat for second batch.
Once the zongzi have finished steaming, you can FINALLY enjoy one of these delicious delicacies. Kai Fan!
In Taiwan, zongzi are traditionally eaten with mushroom oyster sauce and topped with ground peanuts.
Copyright (R) Travels with Sandy
Travels with Sandy 
[…] How to Make Zongzi, Part 2 […]
Thank you for sharing “how to make zongzhi”, especially the video.
Branching out into cooking. Awesome.
Those Zongzi look like the Tainan style ones.
Thanks for your comments! If you try this recipe, let me know how it turns out.
owshawng, my grandmother was from Tainan so it is possible that it influenced this recipe!
the video made the process very clear, but not any less difficult for someone like me who’s never done it! great article Sandy. 🙂
Great post Sandy! I love cooking, but I admit, I’m terrible when it comes to Chinese cuisine. I really should take advantage of living here in Taiwan and try some different recipes out. 🙂
My wife and I made our own salted eggs.. then picked the hardened yolks out. Question though: do those need to be steamed or cooked prior to putting them into the zongzi with the other ingredients? Thanks!
Roland, we have actually used both types (cooked and uncooked salted eggs) and they both work. This recipe is faster than most because the ingredients are pre-cooked before the final steaming but eggs don’t take long to cook anyway. Thanks for your comment!
When Windsor Ontario was the most culturally diverse city in Canada, I taught in its most culturally diverse school. Since my class was permitted to snack while learning (REAL food), we often enjoyed magnificent samples from all around the world. The version of zongzi which I enjoyed was not stuffed in the centre. Rather it had “red bits” — adzuki beans, I thought — distributed throughout; as well, it was cigar-shaped, rather than your tetrahedron/triangular pyramid. I’m determined to give it a try. The video of your mother’s assembly is magnificent. Many thanks.
hello! it’s great!
BTW, where did the egg yolks go? did you have to cook them with the rice?
You can choose to include egg yolk in your zongzi or not, depending on your taste. The demo happened to not include it. You put the egg yolk in at the same time as the other ingredients, such as the mushroom or meat.
Hi
been craving Joong. Knew what it was, knew that I love it, watched my mother -in-law make them many times once a year. But now living in U.S. in small tonw in Florida and couldn’t remember what they were called . She called the joong, I called them YUM. Hers were made in rectangle shape . I am so happy to find a recipe thx
this is great! it reminds me of my mom and grandma sitting around making these all day! i’ve been looking for a detailed description like this! thanks!
谢谢你教我粽子怎么做！
Really great! I saw these things as I wandered around Taipei last week and couldn’t figure out what they were. Awesome guide, very fun travels, and you sound like a great person! 🙂
Yes, a very instructive layout!! I’m going to make these with my kids 9 & 12 they love trying new things. And I love to cook, I’ll try with mushrooms and bean paste for starters. Thank you, I’m sure glad I found this page!!
This is great!!! I moved to an area with no Asian population. Now I need to get started cooking 🙂