My second attempt at making zongzi featured a homemade custard filling. I found the custard recipe on a Hong Kong cooking website, but I didn't fully like it. I may need to find a different recipe. I also reduced the sugar in the recipe, and it tasted too bland, so I suggest adding a bit more. The problem with the filling is that it's very dense; I would prefer something more runny, but I had no idea how to achieve that, so I went with the condensed version. Actually, I checked a few recipes, and the ingredients' proportions and texture were similar, so that's probably the way they make it. I'm just not a big fan.
The previous time, I made red bean zongzi using store-bought bean paste, and they were super tasty. I recommend making them (RECIPE HERE).
If you cannot find bamboo leaves but still want to enjoy zongzi, you can make them in a mold. Just remember to grease the mold so they will not stick to it. If you can find the leaves, it's better as they add some extra aroma!
Ingredients:
- 250g sago pearls (small size)
- 30g sugar
- 20g cooking oil
- 300g red bean paste
- Water (enough to soak the sago pearls)
Custard Filling:
2 eggs
50g sugar
120ml milk
30g flour
30g corn starch
35ml oil
Other Supplies:
- 20 bamboo leaves
- Kitchen twine
Instructions:
1. Preparing Custard Filling:
- Blend all ingredients together.
- Pour onto pot or frying pan and cook over low heat constantly stirring. It should take 5-8 minutes, depending on the texture you desire.
- Transfer into bowl, cover with foil wrap and let it cool.
- Divide into 10 even portions, about 30g each.
2. Preparing Bamboo Leaves:
- Place the bamboo leaves in a large bowl or container.
- Cover the leaves with warm water and let them soak for 5-10 minutes. This helps soften the leaves and remove any impurities.
- After soaking, transfer the leaves to a cooking pot.
- Cover the leaves with clean water in the pot.
- Bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and let the leaves simmer for about 15 minutes. This further softens the leaves and ensures they are clean.
- After cooking, keep the leaves in the water until they have cooled down to room temperature.
- Once cooled, use clean water and a mop or cloth to gently clean the leaves, removing any excess dust or residue.
- Rinse each leaf thoroughly under running water and pat them dry with a clean kitchen towel.
3. Soaking the Sago Pearls:
- Place the sago pearls in a large mixing bowl.
- Pour enough water to cover the sago pearls and let them soak for 30 minutes.
- After soaking, drain off the water using a strainer and squeeze out any excess water. Excess water can affect the texture of the zongzi.
4. Mixing Sago Pearls with Other Ingredients:
- Mix the soaked sago pearls with sugar and cooking oil until well combined.
- If desired, add food coloring at this stage and mix thoroughly.
5. Wrapping the Sago Pearls with Bamboo Leaves:
- Stack two bamboo leaves on top of each other and fold them at the middle to create a cone shape.
- Fill the cone with some soaked sago pearls, spreading them towards the sides.
- Place rcustard ball in the center, then cover with more soaked sago pearls, pressing them in tightly with the back of a spoon.
- Fold both sides of the bamboo leaves over the filling, then fold the top over and secure with kitchen twine.
6. Steaming on the Stove:
- Bring water in a steamer to a rolling boil.
- Arrange the wrapped dumplings in the steamer and steam over high heat for 30 minutes.
- Let the dumplings cool for about 10 minutes before removing them from the steamer.
7. Serving:
- Zongzi are best served the next day at room temperature.
- Serve with palm sugar syrup on the side for dipping. Enjoy your homemade zongzi!
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