Jianshui Zong (Alkaline Rice Dumplings - 碱水粽)

Method14 steps

1. 1

   Step 1: The day before assembly, soak the 255 g adzuki beans in plenty of water for 2–3 hours, keeping them refrigerated. Check after 2 hours, then rinse and drain, discarding the soaking water.

   Soak the red beans · 120 minUses 255 g dried adzuki beans · Water to soak, rinse and drain the dried beans

   
2. 2

   Step 2: Put the drained beans in a medium pot with the separate 890 ml bean-cooking water and ½ tsp baking soda. Cover and bring to a boil, then immediately reduce to a simmer. Simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring periodically to prevent burning, until the beans are soft and split open.

   Simmer the beans until soft · 30 minUses Rinsed and drained soaked beans, separate from the discarded soaking water · 890 ml water for cooking the soaked beans · ½ tsp baking soda

3. 3

   Step 3: If much liquid remains once the beans are soft, uncover the pot and raise the heat to evaporate it, watching closely and stirring to prevent burning. Remove from the heat and let the beans cool briefly enough to process safely, then puree the cooked beans and remaining liquid in a food processor, or use an immersion blender.

   Uses Soft cooked beans and retained bean-cooking liquid

4. 4

   Step 4: Put the puree in a thick-bottomed pan over medium-high heat and stir constantly to concentrate it. Add the 100 g sugar early so it dissolves, adjusting sweetness to taste. The complete concentration phase takes about 25–30 minutes; add the paste oil towards the end as described next.

   Uses Complete cooked red bean puree · 100 g sugar for the red bean paste, or adjust to taste

5. 5

   Step 5: Towards the end of that same concentration phase, add all 60 ml paste oil in two additions, stirring each in. Finish when the paste holds its place rather than flowing across the pan. Transfer to a shallow dish and refrigerate promptly at 4°C/40°F or below; cover once cooled and keep cold until the next day.

   Uses Sweetened red bean puree being concentrated · 60 ml vegetable oil for the red bean paste, added in two batches

   
6. 6

   Step 6: The night before assembly, rinse the 450 g sticky rice a couple of times until the rinse water runs clear. Put it in a bowl with fresh water standing ½ inch above the rice. Stir in the 1½ tbsp rice-soaking alkaline water and ½ tbsp rice-soaking oil. Cover and refrigerate overnight; a light yellow colour is expected.

   Uses 450 g dry sticky rice (sweet rice) · Water to rinse the rice and then cover it by ½ inch for the overnight soak · 1½ tbsp food-grade Chinese alkaline (lye) water for the rice soak · ½ tbsp vegetable oil for the rice soak

   
7. 7

   Step 7: In a separate large clean basin, soak the 30–40 bamboo leaves overnight in enough water to cover them. Weigh them down so all the leaves remain submerged.

   Uses 30–40 dried bamboo leaves, for wrapping · Water to keep the bamboo leaves submerged overnight

8. 8

   Step 8: On assembly day, wipe both sides of each soaked leaf with a clean kitchen towel, shake off excess water and trim about ½ inch from the tough base. Select intact, pliable leaves and set them aside.

   Uses Soaked bamboo leaves lifted from their soaking water

9. 9

   Step 9: Remove the soaked rice from the refrigerator and drain off all free soaking liquid. Keep the drained rice cold while preparing the filling and wrappers.

   Uses Overnight-soaked alkaline rice, separate from its free soaking liquid

   
10. 10

    Step 10: Take the refrigerated red bean paste out and divide the complete paste into 15 equal balls. Keep them cold while assembling in batches.

    Uses Complete cold red bean paste

11. 11

    Step 11: For each dumpling, overlap two prepared bamboo leaves and curl them into a cone with a closed bottom. Add some drained rice, place one paste ball in the centre and cover it with more rice; use about 2 tbsp soaked rice per parcel as the source guide, adjusting only enough to enclose the filling and close the leaves. Fold the side edges inward and the long upper leaf over the opening, then fold the remaining flap around the triangular parcel. Tie with kitchen string without compressing it tightly, leaving room for the rice to expand. Repeat for 15 filled parcels, using all 15 paste balls. Do not force excess rice into the leaves; refrigerate any unused soaked rice promptly for separate cooking.

    Uses 30 usable prepared bamboo leaves, two for each of the 15 parcels · Drained alkaline rice: about 2 tbsp per parcel, as needed to wrap the 15 paste balls · All 15 equal red bean paste balls · Kitchen string, for tying the parcels

12. 12

    Step 12: Arrange the 15 wrapped parcels neatly in a large pot. Add the separate simmering water to about 1 inch above them, then add the 1½ tsp cooking-pot alkaline water. Place a heat-proof plate or bowl on top to keep the parcels submerged. Bring to a boil, reduce to a gentle simmer and cook for 2½ hours. Check the water level periodically and replenish with boiling top-up water whenever it falls below the parcels. The rice should be soft and chewy when a parcel is checked.

    Simmer the wrapped rice dumplings · 150 minUses The 15 tied rice-and-paste parcels, separate from unused rice and spare leaves · Water to cover the wrapped dumplings by about 1 inch in the cooking pot · 1½ tsp food-grade Chinese alkaline (lye) water for the cooking pot · Boiling water to replenish the cooking pot as needed

13. 13

    Step 13: Turn off the heat and lift the cooked parcels out of the pot, leaving the cooking water behind. Let the portions you will eat cool to room temperature, then remove the string and leaves and serve with optional sugar or maple syrup. Refrigerate or freeze the remainder promptly in shallow containers, within 2 hours of cooking, or 1 hour above 32°C/90°F.

    Uses Cooked parcels lifted from their alkaline cooking water · Sugar OR maple syrup, to taste when serving, optional

14. 14

    Step 14: Keep cooked dumplings refrigerated at 4°C/40°F or below and use within 4 days, or freeze for longer storage. To reheat, boil refrigerated parcels for about 10 minutes or frozen parcels for about 30 minutes, continuing until they are hot through and reach 74°C/165°F. Drain, remove the string and leaves and serve; if you prefer room-temperature texture, cool only the portions for immediate eating within the same 2-hour limit, or 1 hour above 32°C/90°F.

    Uses Refrigerated or frozen cooked parcels, only if retaining leftovers · Water for boiling refrigerated or frozen cooked dumplings, only if reheating leftovers · Sugar OR maple syrup, to taste when serving, optional