Zongzi with Pork Belly and Meigan Cai - 梅干菜肉粽

Method21 steps

1. 1

   Step 1: Soak the zongzi leaves overnight by weighing them down in a bowl of water with a heavy object. They should be completely submerged.

   Uses 25-30 dried zongzi leaves (bamboo or reed leaves) · Water to soak and rinse wrapping leaves

2. 2

   Step 2: Cover the glutinous rice (2 lb) with at least5 cm (2 inches) water and soak overnight in the refrigerator; allow room for expansion.

   Uses 2 lb dry glutinous rice (sweet rice) · Water to soak rice overnight

   
3. 3

   Step 3: Soak the mei gan cai in cold water for 30 minutes. Lift the soaked meigan cai (3 cups) out of the bowl and into a colander, and pour off any sandy water. Rinse the bowl clean, put the meigan cai back in, and cover with fresh water. Rinse it well, agitating it with your hands, and let it stand for 5 to 10 minutes (to give time for the dirt to settle at the bottom of the bowl). Lift the meigan cai out of the bowl once again, and repeat this process until there is no more sand remaining. Once clean, squeeze out as much water as possible from the reconstituted vegetables, and set aside.

   Initial meigan-cai soak; repeat rinses afterwards · 30 minUses 3 cups meigan cai (dried preserved vegetables) · Cold water to soak and repeatedly rinse meigan cai

   
4. 4

   Step 4: Cut the pork belly into 20 pieces—10 leaner pieces, and 10 fattier pieces (this will allow you to evenly distribute both lean and fatty pieces across your 10 zongzi). Add them to a pot with enough water to cover the pork belly. Bring to a boil, and boil for 1 minute to remove impurities. Remove from the heat, drain in a colander, rinse, and set the pork aside.

   Blanch pork after water boils · 1 minUses 1 1/2 lb lean skin-on pork belly · Water to blanch and rinse pork, then discard

   
5. 5

   Step 5: Heat the oil (2 tablespoons) and the 50 g rock sugar or1/4 cup granulated-sugar alternative over low heat until an amber liquid forms. Add the star anise (2), ginger (3 slices) and blanched pork pieces. Increase to medium-high and lightly brown, then add the cleaned meigan cai and stir-fry together for 1 minute. Keep the 2 tbsp rice-seasoning sugar separate.

   Uses 2 tablespoons oil (any neutral oil) · 50 g rock sugar, or1/4cup granulated sugar · 2 whole star anise pods · 3 slices ginger · Blanched lean and fatty pork-belly pieces · Clean squeezed rehydrated meigan cai

   
6. 6

   Step 6: Reduce to low and add the Shaoxing wine (1/4 cup), braise light/dark soy sauces (1 1/2 teaspoons),1 tsp braise salt and2 cups braise water. Stir to dissolve clinging sugar, bring to a boil, cover and simmer20 minutes, stirring every5 minutes to prevent burning.

   Simmer pork filling; stir every5 minutes · 20 minUses Caramelized pork and meigan cai with ginger and star anise · 1/4 cup Shaoxing wine · 2 tablespoons light soy sauce · 1 1/2 teaspoons dark soy sauce · 1 teaspoon salt · 2 cups water for pork braise

   
7. 7

   Step 7: Uncover and stir over high heat until standing sauce is absorbed or evaporated. Remove the ginger and star anise, transfer filling to a bowl and let cool enough to handle. If making it a day ahead, cool promptly and refrigerate until assembly.

   Uses Simmered pork and meigan-cai filling

8. 8

   Step 8: Gently wipe each soaked zongzi leaf front and back with a soft cloth, and rinse clean. Trim away about 1.3 cm of each leaf’s tough base (this prevents tearing during assembly). Transfer them to a bowl of fresh water until you’re ready to use them, so they don’t dry out.

   Uses Overnight-soaked wrapping leaves · Water to soak and rinse wrapping leaves

   
9. 9

   Step 9: Drain the soaked rice and add to a large bowl, along with the sugar (2 tablespoons), salt (1 1/2 tablespoons), dark soy sauce (1 tablespoon), and light soy sauce (1 tablespoon). Mix well and set aside.

   Uses Overnight-soaked glutinous rice · 2 tablespoons sugar · 1 1/2 tablespoons salt · 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce · 1 tablespoon light soy sauce

   
10. 10

    Step 10: Lay out the clean soaked leaves, seasoned rice, prepared pork/meigan-cai filling, optional cooked salted egg yolks, kitchen string and scissors. Divide the seasoned soaked rice into ten portions for ten parcels; its total weight has increased during soaking.

    Uses Clean soaked wrapping leaves · Seasoned drained soaked rice · Prepared cooled pork and meigan-cai filling · 10 cooked salted duck egg yolks (store bought, optional)

    
11. 11

    Step 11: Take two zongzi leaves and position them parallel to each other so that they're overlapping by about half, then roll the base into a cone.

    Uses Two clean soaked wrapping leaves

    
12. 12

    Step 12: Spoon half of one parcel’s rice portion into the leaf cone. Use one tenth of the complete seasoned soaked-rice batch per parcel, split between the bottom and top.

    Uses Leaf cone · Half of one parcel’s prepared rice portion

    
13. 13

    Step 13: Add one leaner and one fattier cooked pork piece, some meigan cai and one cooked salted egg yolk if using. Cover with the remaining half of this parcel’s rice portion.

    Uses Rice-lined leaf cone · One lean and one fatty pork piece with some meigan cai · 1 optional cooked salted duck egg yolk · Remaining half of this parcel’s rice portion

    
14. 14

    Step 14: Use one hand to gently squeeze the filling ingredients while using your other hand to fold the long ends of the leaves over the filling, folding the leaves down over the filling to cover it completely. Don't squeeze too hard, or the leaves can rip! Fold the any excess leaf down so you have a neat, compact parcel.

    Uses Filled leaf cone

    
15. 15

    Step 15: Take your kitchen string and tie it securely around the zongzi—though again, not too tightly. The rice needs room to expand as it cooks. Repeat with the remaining zongzi!

    Uses Folded filled rice parcel

16. 16

    Step 16: Choose either pressure cooking (steps16–18) or the stovetop route (steps19–21). For pressure cooking, nest only as many parcels as fit with water covering them by about 5 cm (2 inches), while keeping all food and liquid at or below the cooker’s1/2 fill line for expanding rice. Use separate batches or the stove if that coverage will not fit within the limit.

    Uses Ten wrapped and tied uncooked rice parcels · Water to cook wrapped zongzi; extra boiling water for stove top-ups

17. 17

    Step 17: Put the metal steamer rack that came with your Instant Pot on top of the zongzi, to keep them in place during cooking.

    Uses Pressure-cooker batch of parcels submerged within half-fill limit

18. 18

    Step 18: Lock the lid and cook at manual high pressure for 70 minutes. Allow full natural pressure release and verify all pressure has released before opening. Check rice is tender, remove the wrapping leaves before eating, and skip the stovetop steps.

    Pressure cook; full natural release afterwards · 70 minUses Submerged zongzi held with cooker rack

19. 19

    Step 19: Stovetop alternative: skip this route if the zongzi were pressure-cooked. Nest the wrapped parcels tightly in a large stockpot. If needed, place a heatproof plate over them to keep them submerged.

    Uses Wrapped tied rice parcels, stovetop alternative

20. 20

    Step 20: Fill the pot with cold water until the zongzi are completely submerged. Place the pot on the stove over high heat and bring to a boil.

    Uses Stockpot of wrapped zongzi · Water to cook wrapped zongzi; extra boiling water for stove top-ups

21. 21

    Step 21: Once boiling, reduce to medium-low and simmer gently for 4–5 hours, until the rice and filling are fully tender. Check regularly that the parcels stay submerged and top up only with boiling water. Remove the wrapping leaves before eating.

    Stovetop alternative: simmer zongzi · 300 minUses Stockpot of submerged zongzi brought to a boil · Boiling water for top-ups, only as needed