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Chicken Sticky Rice Dumplings 香菇鸡肉粽子

by Angie Liew
Chicken Sticky Rice Dumplings

Huang Kitchen Rice Dumplings Zong Zi Recipe Collection 粽子食谱系列


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Chicken Sticky Rice Dumplings

Sticky rice dumplings (Zongzi 粽子 in Chinese) are commonly found throughout Southeast Asia in both savory and sweet versions. They are traditionally eaten during the Dragon Boat Festival (Duan Wu Jie 端午节).  Sticky rice dumplings are mainly made of glutinous rice stuffed with different fillings, then wrapped in bamboo leaves and cooked in boiling water. The grains of glutinous rice used are whiter and rounder than ordinary rice and it tastes much sweeter and shinier since it is highly polished. The types of filling used are quite varied as they can be customised to each family’s taste and liking.

 

Chicken Sticky Rice Dumplings

This Chicken Sticky Rice Dumplings (香菇鸡肉粽子) recipe features a healthier version of sticky rice dumplings as chicken is used instead of pork. However, the taste is not at all compromised as the chicken meat is sealed with the marinate and seared to perfection before wrapping. These rice dumplings are just how I like them – soft, moist and flavourful sticky glutinous rice encasing a delicious mix of tender chicken and other ingredients which are infused with the aroma of the bamboo leaves.

Although the process of making these Chicken Sticky Rice Dumplings can be laborious, it will all be worth it in the end as these Chicken Zongzi are SO yummy delicious when homemade. Yes, they are way better than any store-bought or those available in the restaurants.

They really are a labor of love, so be sure to ENJOY!

Huang Kitchen Rice Dumplings Zong Zi Recipe Collection 粽子食谱系列

Chicken Sticky Rice Dumplings Recipe 香菇鸡肉粽子

Chicken Sticky Rice Dumplings Recipe 香菇鸡肉粽子

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Huang Kitchen Rice Dumplings Zong Zi Recipe Collection 粽子食谱系列

Chinese Sticky Rice Chicken Dumplings

Recipe by Huang Kitchen, Angie Liew
This Chicken Sticky Rice Dumplings recipe features a healthier version of sticky rice dumplings as chicken is used instead of pork. However, the taste is not at all compromised as the chicken meat is sealed with the marinate and seared to perfection before wrapping.
Prep Time1 hour
Cook Time3 hours
Total Time4 hours 30 minutes

Tap or Hover to Adjust Servings

Servings: 40 dumplings

Ingredients
 

  • 80 pieces bamboo leaves, soaked and cleaned
  • 1 bundle grass strands, soaked and drained
  • 2 kg glutinous rice, soaked 1 hour
  • 250 grams black-eyed beans, soaked and fried
  • ¼ tsp alkaline water, soaked in split mung beans

Fillings:

  • 1 ½ kg chicken thigh fillets, cut into pieces
  • 100 grams dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked
  • 100 grams dried shrimps, soaked and fried
  • 100 grams dried chestnuts, soaked and boiled till soft
  • 300 grams split mung beans, soaked and fried
  • 20 Salted egg yolks, cut into halves
  • 6 tbsp garlic, chopped

Marinade for chicken thigh:

  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp chinese five spice powder
  • 1 tbsp light soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil
  • 1 tbsp Oyster Sauce
  • 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp cornflour
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 2 star anise

Seasonings for split mung beans:

  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp pepper

Seasonings for black-eyed beans:

  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp pepper

Seasonings for glutinous rice:

  • 1 tbsp sugar, or MSG
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp chinese five spice powder
  • 1 tsp ground white pepper
  • 1 tbsp light soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp dark soy sauce

    Instructions
     

    Cook Fillings:

    • Chicken Sticky Rice Dumplings
      First, prepare to marinade the chicken. Cut the chicken thigh into chunks, about 3 cm in size.
    • Chicken Sticky Rice Dumplings
      Mix with marinade and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or preferably overnight.
    • Then heat up oil in wok and briefly fry the marinated chicken with chopped garlic until they brown lightly. The aim is to sear the chicken meat briefly.
    • Set aside.
      Remove from wok and place in a bowl or casserole and set aside while we prepare the other fillings.
    • Cut salted egg yolk in halves.
      Clean salted eggs. Then cut the salted egg yolks in halves and set aside in a bowl.
    • Chicken Sticky Rice Dumplings
      Rinse and soaked dried shrimps for about 30 minutes.
    • Chicken Sticky Rice Dumplings
      Drain well and fry in oil till golden brown. Place in a bowl and set aside.
    • Chicken Sticky Rice Dumplings
      Then rinse and soak dried shiitake mushroom till softened.
    • Chicken Sticky Rice Dumplings
      Drain well and saute the mushrooms till aromatic and brown slightly. Remove from wok and place in a bowl.
    • Soak dried chestnuts in water.
      Soak the dried chestnuts in cold water, preferably overnight.
    • Boil dried chestnuts till soft.
      Then boil the dried chestnuts for about 20 minutes or till softened.
    • Fry the dried chestnuts.
      In the same wok, fry the chestnuts until they brown slightly. Remove from wok and place in a bowl.
    • Chicken Sticky Rice Dumplings
      Next, rinse and add 1 tsp alkaline water into split mung beans. Soaked in water for at least 3 hours.
    • Chicken Sticky Rice Dumplings
      Drain well and mix well with the seasonings.
    • Saute split mung beans till aromatic.
      Stir fry the split mung beans with chopped garlic till aromatic, place in a bowl and set aside.
    • Chicken Sticky Rice Dumplings
      Next, rinse and soaked black-eye beans for at least 30 minutes.
    • Chicken Sticky Rice Dumplings
      Drain and mix well with the seasonings.
    • Sauce black-eyed beans till aromatic.
      In the wok with oil, stir fry the black-eyed beans with chopped garlic till aromatic, place in bowl and set aside.
    • Soaked glutinous rice.
      Wash and rinse the glutinous rice till water runs clear. Then soak in water for 1 hour.
    • Add seasonings for glutinous rice.
      Drain well before adding the seasonings into the glutinous rice and mix till evenly combined.
    • Fry glutinous rice.
      Then, using the same wok, fry chopped garlic till fragrant. Add the seasoned glutinous rice and stir fry for 2 minutes. Stir in the black-eyed beans and adjust to taste.
    • Transfer the glutinous rice to a casserole.
      Transfer to a casserole and set aside.

    Prepare bamboo leaves:

    • Chicken Sticky Rice Dumplings
      Soak bamboo leaves one day ahead or overnight until softened. First bring a large pot or wok of water to a boil. Add about 1 tablespoon of oil into the water.
    • Chicken Sticky Rice Dumplings
      Carefully place the bamboo leaves into the wok. Make sure the water covers all the leaves and cook over high heat for about 15 minutes, just to soften the bamboo leaves.
    • Chicken Sticky Rice Dumplings
      Also, boil briefly the grass strands used for tying the wrapped sticky rice dumplings.
    • Clean bamboo leaves.
      Remove the bamboo leaves from the wok to cool. Untie the bamboo leaves and use a clean cloth to wipe both sides of each bamboo leaf.
    • Chicken Sticky Rice Dumplings
      Then snip off both stray ends of each of the bamboo leaves.
    • Chicken Sticky Rice Dumplings
      Gently place the cleaned bamboo leaves and grass strings in a large container of cold water. Leave the bamboo leaves to soak in the cold water overnight. And we're ready to wrap the dumplings!

    Wrap Sticky Rice Dumplings:

    • Form the bamboo leaves into a cone.
      To wrap dumplings, layer two bamboo leaves in opposite directions ( the tail end of one lining up with the top end of the other) with the smooth sides up and form a cone.
    • Wrapping the rice dumpling.
      Then add in 1 heaped tablespoon of fried glutinous rice mixture. Fill about 1/3 of the cone with the glutinous rice mixture. Press down firmly with a spoon.
    • Add in fillings.
      Next, add in a piece each of chicken, mushroom, chestnut and salted egg yolk. Also add in 1 tsp dried shrimps and 1 tablespoon of split mung beans.
    • Top with the glutinous rice.
      Top the fillings with more glutinous rice mixture, till the brim of the cone. Press down firmly again with a spoon.
    • Fold to cover the rice dumpling.
      Next, fold the leaves over to cover the open top of the rice dumpling completely. Make sure you press the tip of the rice dumpling so that the end is pointed. Then fold the leaves over the edges of the cone in a triangular shape.
    • Seal the rice dumpling.
      At the top of the triangle (base end of the leaves), fold over the ends either to the right or left, making sure the rice dumpling is firmly wrapped.
    • Tie the sticky rice dumpling.
      Tie the rice dumpling firmly in the middle (it should include the end of the leaves that were folded over) with grass strings by using a downward pulling motion.
    • Tie rice dumpling with hemp string.
      Tie the dumpling with the grass strand twice, each time with an easy knot to ensure no loose ends.
    • Cut off excess leaves and string.
      Snip off excess bamboo leaves and strings. And we're ready to cook the sticky rice dumplings.

    Cook Sticky Rice Dumplings:

    • Boil water in pot.
      First, boil water in a large pot. Add in salt.
    • Cook the sticky rice dumplings.
      When water comes to a boil again, gently lower the sticky rice dumplings into the water making sure they are fully submerged.
    • Cook the sticky rice dumpling.
      Cover the pot with lid and cook the sticky rice dumplings over medium-high heat till cooked. If using pressure cooker, it will take about 1 hour. If using normal pot, the cooking process is about 2 to 3 hours, depending on the size of the rice dumplings.
    • Taste for doneness.
      Always check for doneness once the rice dumplings are cooked. To check if they are cooked through, unwrap one of the dumplings in the pot, check for doneness and taste it before removing the rest of dumplings from the pot.
    • Set aside the rice dumplings to cool.
      Once the rice dumplings are cooked, remove from pot and hang them up to drain off excess water and to cool down. And we're done!
    • Chicken Sticky Rice Dumplings
      Once the sticky rice dumpling has cooled slightly, unwrap and enjoy!

Enjoy!

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Notes

Place each ingredient for the sticky rice dumpling filling in separate bowls or plates. This is to enable equal amount of each to be put into each dumpling.
Do adjust seasonings to taste for each fried ingredient.
Boiling the bamboo leaves will prevent the leaves from breaking during wrapping. However, do not boil for too long. Otherwise the leaves will lose their nice aroma.
It doesn't matter if the cleaned bamboo leaves are still slightly wet when use to wrap the dumplings.
Prepare more bamboo leaves than required as some of them may break apart while wrapping.
Do not tie the sticky rice dumplings too tightly as the rice will expand during cooking.
Make sure the rice dumplings are fully submerged in water during the cooking process. Otherwise you will end up with uncooked rice dumplings.
Do not use bamboo leaves that have holes in them as they can cause water to seep into the sticky rice dumpling during the cooking process.
To tie the dumpling, wind the string firmly around the rice dumpling twice and then seal with 2 knots.
To store sticky rice dumplings, place in a plastic bag when cooled and can be kept frozen indefinitely.
Course: Snacks
Cuisine: Chinese, Malaysian
Keyword: Zongzi Rice Dumplings

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