The Dragon Boat Festival is one of the traditional Chinese festivals. Every year on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, people eat rice dumplings, race dragon boats, hang mugwort and other activities to commemorate Qu Yuan. Among these activities, rice dumplings are one of the most important foods. Today, let’s experience the deliciousness and culture of Zongzi and look at a collection of pictures of Zongzi.
Making Zongzi
The steps of making Zongzi are not very complicated, but they require certain skills and patience. First, prepare rice dumpling leaves, glutinous rice, meat, egg yolk and other ingredients. Soak the glutinous rice for several hours, then add appropriate amount of salt and oil, mix well and set aside. You can choose pork, chicken, salted egg yolk, etc. as meat, cut into small pieces and set aside.
1. Soak the rice dumpling leaves in water until softened, then dry them for later use.
2. Take a rice dumpling leaf, fold the two ends into a triangle, and then fold the bottom into a small triangle.
3. Fold the two corners of the small triangle outward to form a small pocket.
4. Put an appropriate amount of glutinous rice and meat in the pocket, and then add an egg yolk.
5. Fold the rice dumpling leaves on both sides of the bag upward, then fold the top rice dumpling leaf downward to wrap the rice dumpling well.
6. Tie the rice dumplings tightly with string or twigs of rice dumpling leaves to ensure that they are tightly wrapped.
7. Put the rice dumplings into the pot, add an appropriate amount of water, bring to a boil over high heat, then turn to low heat and cook slowly.
Characteristics of Zongzi in various regions
Zongzi in various parts of China have their own characteristics, and different places have different tastes and methods. Below, let’s take a look at some representative rice dumplings.
1. Southern Zongzi
Southern Zongzi is made of glutinous rice and has a soft, glutinous texture and sweet taste. Guangdong’s bacon rice dumplings and salted egg yolk rice dumplings, Fujian’s meat rice dumplings and fresh meat rice dumplings, and Jiangsu’s lotus paste rice dumplings are all representatives of southern rice dumplings.
2. Northern Zongzi
Northern Zongzi is made from a mixture of glutinous rice and rice. It has a slightly hard texture and a light taste. Beijing’s pork belly rice dumplings, Tianjin’s fresh meat rice dumplings, and Shandong’s lotus paste rice dumplings are all representatives of northern rice dumplings.
3. Taiwanese Zongzi
Taiwanese Zongzi is mainly made of glutinous rice, rice and red beans. It has a soft and glutinous texture and a sweet taste. Taiwan’s red bean rice dumplings, meat rice dumplings and egg yolk rice dumplings are all representative of Taiwanese rice dumplings.
The Culture of Zongzi
Zongzi is not only a delicacy, but also has profound cultural connotations. The origin of Zongzi can be traced back to the Warring States Period. In order to protect the motherland and people, Qu Yuan finally chose to commit suicide by throwing himself into the river. In order to prevent fish, shrimps, snakes, earthworms and other aquatic animals from invading Qu Yuan's body, people put some rice dumplings on the riverside to prevent aquatic animals from invading the body.
Since then, people have designated the fifth day of May every year as the Dragon Boat Festival, and commemorated Qu Yuan by eating rice dumplings and racing dragon boats. Zongzi has therefore become an indispensable food during the Dragon Boat Festival.
End
Zongzi is an indispensable delicacy in traditional Chinese festivals. Every year during the Dragon Boat Festival, various kinds of rice dumplings are available for people to taste. Whether it is the south or the north, whether it is sweet or salty rice dumplings, each type of rice dumpling has its own characteristics and cultural connotations.
Let’s experience the deliciousness and culture of the Dragon Boat Festival and taste the delicious rice dumplings together!
(Pictures of Zongzi)