Chef Kar Delight

Kar Zongzi 2 of 3 Monday 2024/06/10

Dragon Boat Festival Special：

Kar Zongzi 2 of 3

This year Dragon Boat Festival is on Monday June 10, 2024. I shall prepare 15 kinds of creative Kar Zongzi to share with my friends. I am going to take photos of these Zongzis and publish them in 3 parts.

Wrapping and eating zong are traditions of Dragon Boat Festival on May 5 lunar calendar.

3 kinds of brand new Kar Zong:

Part 1: Kar Lye Water Zong Already published

Part 2: Kar Guo Zheng Zong Now

Part 3: Kar Seafood Zong Coming next

Part 2: Kar Guo Zheng Zong

Guo Zheng Zong literally means steamed parcel zong or rice dumpling because it is wrapped like a parcel.

Guo Zheng Zong 裹蒸糭 is a specialty of Zhaoqing 肇慶 , Guangdong province 廣東, China. It was once accepted as a food in the Palace. It used winter leaves to wrap and waterweed to pack to the shape of a pillow. Ingredients were glutinous rice, mung beans, 5 spices lean and fatty pork, packing in the proportion 10:6:4 like a parcel. It is big in size and boiling in water for more than 8 hours.

It was puffy. Winter leaves have special fragrance and excellent preservative function. Zhaoqing people use it as a gift when visiting relatives in Lunar New year, meaning abundance, prosperity, and luck.

Nowadays, there are many types of Guo Zheng Zong, catering for different kinds of people. Fillings include 5 spices fatty pork, salty duck egg yolk, roast chicken, roast duck and char siu etc.

Guo Zheng Zong literally means package steamed Zong; therefore, the shape of a package should look like a pillow and the cooking method should be steamed by water.

Differences between Guo Zheng Zong (裹蒸糭) and Xian Rou Zong (鹹肉糉).

Guo Zheng Zong uses bamboo leaves and lotus leaves to wrap to pillow shape; whereas, Xian Rou Zong uses bamboo leaves to wrap to pyramid shape.

Many youtubers mixed up the two types in their videos. They wrapped Guo Zheng Zong to pyramid shape.

《 Method of wrapping and steaming zong 》on the bottom page.

《 Condiments 》on the bottom page.

▲ 1. Arhat Veggie Guo Zheng Zong

羅漢齋裹蒸糭

Long long time ago, Chinese vegetarian cuisine already existed in Eastern Han Dynasty 東漢. It was spread to the whole China in Tang and Song Dynasty 唐、宋. It became popular in Shanghai 上海 in Ming and Qing Dynasty 明、清。

Arhat Veggie 羅漢齋 is one of the famous vegetarian dishes. There is a allusion behind. Allusion said one year in lunar calendar February19 Guanyin's Birthday 觀音誕。18 arhats wanted to test Guanyin, came to a temple of Guanyin, shouting: " Extremely hungry, going to starve!". The eyes of the Guanyin statue suddenly moved, fresh and hot food dishes appeared on the god table. After 18 arhats ate on a full stomach, they went inside the storehouse of Guanyin to take away foods and cloths. Afterwards, 18 arhats felt that it was not right to bother Guanyin, they wanted to give some gifts to thank her. They used the vegetarian foods begged from families door to door to organize into a dish, inviting Guanyin to eat. The name of "Arhat Veggie" originated from here.

Arhat Veggie is a Chinese vegetarian dish. The ingredients include vegetable, mushrooms,

soy products, mixed with dark soya sauce and other condiments. Seafood and eggs can be added to prepare meat dishes. The name of Arhat Veggie came about because this dish used 18 or more ingredients; similar to the story of 18 arhats.

Ingredients

Main ingredients: glutinous rice, peeled mung beans

Fillings: dried bean curd, bamboo shoots, lotus root, dried shiitake mushroom, black fungus, dried day lily, fermented bean curd, ginger, green onion

Wrapping: bamboo leaves, string

Dipping sauce: mushroom and day lily soaked water, onion, ginger, fermented bean curd, soya sauce, sugar, salt, corn starch + water, vegetable oil

Method

1. Wash glutinous rice and mung beans with cold water; soak glutinous rice and mung beans in water for 2 hours until swollen; drain out the water

2. Soak dried bean curd, mushrooms, day lily for 2 hours; keep soaked water of mushrooms and day lily for making dipping sauce later

3. Wash bamboo leaves with water; poach bamboo leaves in hot water to become soft

4. Wrapping:

First place 3 bamboo leaves parallel together, bright side is facing up; put 5 tablespoon of glutinous rice on the center of the leaves to make 5" x 3" rectangular shape, 1 tablespoon of mung beans scattered over the rice; stack up fillings on the center of rice; lastly, put another half portion of rice on top to cover up the fillings, fold the leaves to make the shape of a pillow, tie up with a string, but not too tight because rice will expand when cooked

5. Steaming:

Put zongzi on a round stainless steel bowl or baking pan. Pour water to the bowl to cover the zongzi completely. Place the bowl into a steamer or compartment steamer to cook well done.

Making Dipping Sauce

1. Place a wok or pan over fire, add oil, onion, ginger, fry to fragrant, pour soaking water of mushroom and day lily, fermented bean curd, soya sauce, sugar, salt, mix well, add corn starch mixed with water to thicken the sauce.

2. Strain the sauce by a sieve.

▲ 2. 5 spices Beef Guo Zheng Zong

五香牛腩裹蒸糭

5 spices Beef is a gourmet made of fresh Beef Brisket and chu-hou Marinade as the main ingredients, full of aroma. If you have eaten it once, you would return to look for the taste”.

Ingredients
Main ingredients: glutinous rice, peeled mung beans
Fillings: beef brisket, Lo Bok Daikon, fermented bean curd, red/green pepper, tangerine peel, black beans
Marinade: 5 spices powder, black pepper, soy sauce, fermented bean paste, oyster sauce, Huadiao Shaoxing wine 花雕, ginger, onion, garlic, fermented bean curd, sugar
Wrapping： bamboo leaves, string
Dipping sauce: marinade, tangerine peel water, onion, ginger, garlic, tangerine peel, black bean, fermented bean curd, sugar, salt, corn starch + water, oil

Method
1. Wash glutinous rice and mung beans with cold water; soak glutinous rice and mung beans in water for 2 hours until swollen; drain out the water.
Soak tangerine peel in water for 2 hours until soft; keep the tangerine peel water for making dipping sauce.
2. Put Beef brisket in marinade for 5 hours, keep the marinade for making dipping sauce.
3. Wash bamboo leaves with water; poach bamboo leaves in hot water to become soft
4. Wrapping:
First place 3 bamboo leaves parallel together, bright side is facing up; put 5 tablespoon of glutinous rice on the center of the leaves to make 5" x 3" rectangular shape, 1 tablespoon of mung beans scattered over the rice; stack up fillings on the center of rice; lastly, put another half portion of rice on top to cover up the fillings, fold the leaves to make the shape of a pillow, tie up with a string, but not too tight because rice will expand when cooked
5. Steaming:
Put zongzi on a round stainless steel bowl or baking pan. Pour water to the bowl to cover the zongzi completely. Place the bowl into a steamer or compartment steamer to cook well done.

Making Dipping Sauce
1. Place a wok or pan over fire, add oil, garlic, onion, ginger, fry to fragrant; add marinade, tangerine peel water, tangerine peel, black bean, fermented bean curd, sugar, salt, mix well; add corn starch mixed with water to thicken the sauce.
2. Strain the sauce by a sieve.

▲ 3. Mushroom Chicken Guo Zheng Zong
香菇雞肉裹蒸糭

Shiitake mushroom is fragrant and a perfect pair with fresh taste of chicken. When chestnuts are added, the dish becomes taste like Chestnut braised chicken.

Ingredients
Main ingredients: glutinous rice, peeled mung beans
Fillings: chicken thigh or breast, Shiitake mushroom , black fungus, dried day lily, ginger, onion, chestnuts
Marinade: soy sauce, oyster sauce, Huadiao Shaoxing wine 花雕, ginger mashed, onion mashed, garlic mashed
Wrapping： bamboo leaves, string
Dipping sauce: marinade, soaked water of mushroom and day lily, onion, ginger, sugar, salt, corn starch + water, oil

Method
1. Wash glutinous rice and mung beans with cold water; soak glutinous rice and mung beans in water for 2 hours until swollen; drain out the water.
Soak mushrooms, day lily for 2 hours; keep soaked water of mushrooms and day lily for making dipping sauce later
2. Put Beef brisket in marinade for 5 hours, keep the marinade for making dipping sauce.
3. Wash bamboo leaves with water; poach bamboo leaves in hot water to become soft
4. Wrapping:
First place 3 bamboo leaves parallel together, bright side is facing up; put 5 tablespoon of glutinous rice on the center of the leaves to make 5" x 3" rectangular shape, 1 tablespoon of mung beans scattered over the rice; stack up fillings on the center of rice; lastly, put another half portion of rice on top to cover up the fillings, fold the leaves to make the shape of a pillow, tie up with a string, but not too tight because rice will expand when cooked
5. Steaming:
Put zongzi on a round stainless steel bowl or baking pan. Pour water to the bowl to cover the zongzi completely. Place the bowl into a steamer or compartment steamer to cook well done.

Making Dipping Sauce
1. Place a wok or pan over fire, add oil, garlic, onion, ginger, fry to fragrant; add marinade, soaked water of mushroom and day lily, sugar, salt, mix well; add corn starch mixed with water to thicken the sauce.
2. Strain the sauce by a sieve.

▲ 4. Tangerine Duck Guo Zheng Zong

陳皮鴨裹蒸糭

Tangerine Duck is a Cantonese traditional cuisine, belonging to Guangdong Cuisine.

This dish is eaten for poor food and poor diet, and facial swelling due to deficiency of spleen and stomach. Tangerine peel should be either fresh tangerine peel or orange peel. Tangerine has a function of eliminating dampness and phlegm. People who cough with lots of phlegm are suitable to eat.

Ingredients
Main ingredients: glutinous rice, peeled mung beans
Fillings: duck meat, tangerine peel, carrot, salty duck yolk
Marinade: soy sauce, oyster sauce, fermented bean paste, Huadiao Shaoxing wine 花雕, ginger mashed, onion mashed, garlic mashed
Wrapping: bamboo leaves, string
Dipping sauce: marinade, tangerine peel water, tangerine peel, black bean, onion, ginger, garlic, sugar, salt, corn starch + water, oil

Method
1. Wash glutinous rice and mung beans with cold water; soak glutinous rice and mung beans in water for 2 hours until swollen; drain out the water.
Soak tangerine peel in water for 2 hours until soft; keep the tangerine peel water for making dipping sauce.
2. Put duck meat in marinade for 5 hours, keep the marinade for making dipping sauce.
Cook salty duck egg in hot water until well done, remove shell and white, keep yolk for fillings
3. Wash bamboo leaves with water; poach bamboo leaves in hot water to become soft
4. Wrapping:
First place 3 bamboo leaves parallel together, bright side is facing up; put 5 tablespoon of glutinous rice on the center of the leaves to make 5" x 3" rectangular shape, 1 tablespoon of mung beans scattered over the rice; stack up fillings on the center of rice; lastly, put another half portion of rice on top to cover up the fillings, fold the leaves to make the shape of a pillow, tie up with a string, but not too tight because rice will expand when cooked
5. Steaming:
Put zongzi on a round stainless steel bowl or baking pan. Pour water to the bowl to cover the zongzi completely. Place the bowl into a steamer or compartment steamer to cook well done.

Making Dipping Sauce
1. Place a wok or pan over fire, add oil, garlic, onion, ginger, fry to fragrant; add marinade, tangerine peel water, tangerine peel, black bean, sugar, salt, mix well; add corn starch mixed with water to thicken the sauce.
2. Strain the sauce by a sieve.

▲ 5. Cumin lamb Guo Zheng Zong

孜然羊肉裹蒸糭

Cumin lamb is made of lamb shank, coriander leaves, cumin, paired with different condiments. Lamb meat is tender and very easy to digest; high in protein. Cumin can regulate qi and stimulate appetite; dispelling wind and relieving pain.

Ingredients
Main ingredients: glutinous rice, peeled mung beans
Fillings: lamb shank, Lo Bok Daikon, dried bean curd, bamboo shoots, black beans, fermented red bean curd, red and green pepper.
Marinade: cumin powder, 5 spices powder, soy sauce, oyster sauce, fermented red bean curd, fermented bean paste, Huadiao Shaoxing wine 花雕, ginger mashed, onion mashed, garlic mashed
Wrapping: bamboo leaves, string
Dipping sauce: marinade, onion, ginger, garlic, black bean, fermented red bean curd, sugar, salt, corn starch + water, oil

Method
1. Wash glutinous rice and mung beans with cold water; soak glutinous rice and mung beans in water for 2 hours until swollen; drain out the water.
2. Put lamb meat in marinade for 5 hours, keep the marinade for making dipping sauce.
3. Wash bamboo leaves with water; poach bamboo leaves in hot water to become soft
4. Wrapping:
First place 3 bamboo leaves parallel together, bright side is facing up; put 5 tablespoon of glutinous rice on the center of the leaves to make 5" x 3" rectangular shape, 1 tablespoon of mung beans scattered over the rice; stack up fillings on the center of rice; lastly, put another half portion of rice on top to cover up the fillings, fold the leaves to make the shape of a pillow, tie up with a string, but not too tight because rice will expand when cooked
5. Steaming:
Put zongzi on a round stainless steel bowl or baking pan. Pour water to the bowl to cover the zongzi completely. Place the bowl into a steamer or compartment steamer to cook well done.

Making Dipping Sauce
1. Place a wok or pan over fire, add oil, garlic, onion, ginger, fry to fragrant; add marinade, black bean, fermented red bean curd, sugar, salt, mix well; add corn starch mixed with water to thicken the sauce.
2. Strain the sauce by a sieve.