As the Dragon Boat Festival (Duanwujie) approaches on June 25, foodies worldwide are gearing up to embrace a tasty 2,000-year-old tradition: making zongzi! 🛶 These pyramid-shaped sticky rice bundles, wrapped in bamboo leaves, are a cultural icon – but how hard are they really to craft? Let’s unwrap the story!
Zongzi aren’t just snacks – they’re edible history! Legend says they were thrown into rivers during the festival to honor poet Qu Yuan. Today, families bond over folding pork, mushrooms, or sweet fillings into neat leaf parcels. 🌾🍖
Kiwi expat Andy Boreham tested his skills with a Shanghai zongzi master. Spoiler: Leaf-folding is trickier than TikTok dances! 💃🕺 ‘It’s like origami meets cooking,’ he laughed, battling rogue grains of rice. His takeaway? Practice makes perfect – and messy kitchens lead to delicious rewards.
Whether you’re team savory or sweet, zongzi symbolize unity and heritage. Ready to try? Grab bamboo leaves, glutinous rice, and your favorite fillings. Pro tip: YouTube tutorials > ancient scrolls. 😉
