Zongzi style grilled riceball

10 Jun

Written By Minna Lai

Alternative version to Zongi

Dragon Boat Festival tradition

Savoury outside and sweet inside

S E R V I N G S : 2

A L L E R G Y : (Gluten), nuts. sesame, soy

‍ ‍

Ingredients.

Rice

130g rice

1/4 cup shredded daikon

2 shiitake mushroom finely chopped (keep some larger pieces for putting in the middle)

1 shallot finely chopped

1 garlic minced

1 slice of ginger

1/8 tsp Chinese five spice

Little bit white pepper

1 small bay leaf

1/2 cup + 2 tbsp mushroom soaking water (add more/ replace with water if needed)

1 tbsp soysauce

1/2 tbsp Shaoxing wine

1 tsp pesto or few fresh sweet/Thai basils

1/2 tsp sugar

Pinch of salt

1 tsp Sesame oil

1 olong/black bag tea bag

2-3 Scallion

Filling

Heaped 1/4 cup cooked black eyed peas

25g Peanuts

1-1.5 tsp Sugar

1/2-1 tsp Miso

Pinch of turmeric

Optional - spicy pickled daikon/ crispy chilli oil

Preparations.

Rinse the rice, less thoroughly than usual so they’d come out out stickier
Sauté the shallot and shiitake mushroom until the mushrooms start to brown
Add daikon, garlic, ginger, Chinese five spice, bay leaf and white pepper, fry until the daikon dry up
Add the rice and fry until they’re dry
Add the mushroom soaking water, soysauce, Shaoxing wine, pesto/basil leaves (or you can add it at the end for a less deep, bitter taste), tea bag, sugar and pinch of salt
Cover and bring to simmer for ~5min then take out the tea bag
Cover with an aluminium foil and cover with a lid, cook on low heat for ~20-25min until the rice are cooked
Meanwhile, toast/roast the peanuts, then blend with the black eyed peas, miso, sugar and pinch of turmeric (alternatively crush/finely chop the peanuts and mash the beans with a fork)
When the rice is done, add finely chopped scallion and stir the rice so they become stickier
Add sesame oil and take a few larger mushroom pieces out
Wet your hand with some water before shaping the rice ball into a pyramidal shape, so the rice won’t stick to your hand. Don’t forget to put some of the peanut mixture, shiitake mushroom and optionally spicy pickled daikon/crispy chilli oil
Lightly brush on some soysauce then char it using a kitchen torch (alternatively fry with some oil to make it golden)