粽子 recipe (Rice Dumpling)

My mom made these 粽子。 很好吃。 ：）

您们好。 昨天我妈妈做粽子。六月六日是端午节。 就是明天。 It took a long time to make the 粽子。 Almost the whole day. They are delicious though. It's worth the time and effort. These specialties have been made for such a long time. Other names for these are Rice Dumplings and Chinese Tamales. I like saying 粽 because that's how I grew up calling them. Here's a link  to the history of this holiday, and the history of this traditional Chinese food. It's good to pass things on from generation to generation, so it won't be forgotten. My mother learned from her grandmother, and I learn from my mother. So, here's the recipe. Plan ahead before making these, as it takes up the whole day or even longer，because of the preparation of the leaves, 粽叶 too. 

This recipe makes about 50, depending on the size and how much filling you put in. You can add more things in the 粽子if you like. This is what my mom used though.

Ingredients: 

•  粽叶
• 1 bag of Peeled Split Mung Beans, 14 oz (400 gms)
• chopped green onion
• 1 bag of dried shrimp
• 1 1/2 bags of peanut, I used a bag of 特级花生 (both 12 oz, 340 gm) or about 4 1/2 cups
• 12 cups glutinous rice
•  dried chestnut
• salted duck egg yolks 
• Chinese sausage, cut into slices 
• cut up pork belly (with the fat)  
• dried mushroom (optional, and traditionally used in Taiwan. My mom didn't use this)  
• salt 
• oil 

Day 1

Buy 粽叶， and boil them in water. After boiling them, soak them in water for at least a day. 

Day 2

Preparations before putting everything together. Each thing should be in it's own bowl, unless stated in the directions. 

1. After soaking the leaves for a day, wash and rinse them about 2 times, to make sure they're clean. They should not be green in color. 
2. Soak the chestnuts in water. 
3. Salt the chopped pork bellies. 
4. With the mung beans, soak and rinse them. Then, stir fry them with chopped green onion. 
5. With the dried shrimp, stir fry them with green onion too. 
6. Make sure the Chinese Sausages are cut up in slices. 
7. Make sure you have the salted duck egg yolks. 
8. If using the mushroom, make sure you have that too.
9. In a huge bowl, wash and rinse the glutinous rice.  Stir in the peanuts. Then, season it with salt. Don't add too much salt. Also add a few tablespoons of oil.

Now, for the wrapping. Here's a video I found on youtube that shows how to wrap them. It's the same way my mom wraps it. I think it's the Cantonese way of wrapping it, because other videos I've watched, it was wrapped differently, and they spoke Mandarin. 

1. So, basically, you have to take 2 leaves, and shape them the way it has in the video, like a cradle or something. I don't know how to describe it. 
2. Put a spoonful or two of the rice/peanut mixture in. 
3. Add one or two slices of the Chinese Sausage.
4. Add a salted egg yolk. 
5. Add a piece of the pork.
6. Add a chestnut or two. 
7. Add a spoonful of the mung beans. 
8. If wanted, add mushroom. 
9. Add another leaf to the side. 
10. Then, add two spoonfuls or more of the rice/peanut mixture until it coves the filling. 
11. Fold the leaf to the side so that the side is sealed. Then, fold down the top part. 
12. Using a string, wrap the string around it, and then tie it. 
13. Boil water in a huge pot or something to boil things in, and then, once the water is boiling, add the 粽子。 Depending on the size, boil for 3 to 5 hours. The smaller ones usually only take 3 hours. Larger ones take 4 hours or more.  

I hope you guys enjoy these. Good eats to you all. :)