Sweet version of chang/zongzi

Here is a sweet version of chang/zongzi, filled with red (adzuki) bean paste. Popular in China, especially the northern part of the country:

Ingredients (Outer wrapping):

20 pieces dried bamboo leaves, soaked over night, and drained
A bundle of plant-based string (can be obtained from some Chinese supermarkets),soaked over night (or substitute culinary standard kitchen string)
400g glutinous rice, soaked over night and drained

3 tsps (1 tbsp) alkaline water (obtainable at Chinese stores)

Ingredients (Adzuki Paste filling):
300g Adzuki Bean
100g brown sugar (you can vary this for the desired sweetness level)
1 teaspoon sea salt
3 tablespoons cooking oil

Preparation:
Boil the adzuki bean till it is soft, mix it with brown sugar and sea salt, and cook the mixture till it is pasty.
Add in the cooking oil and stir well, till the paste is not runny.
Remove from heat and leave to cool.
Once cooled down, roll paste into 3-4cm (diameter) balls.
Add the alkaline water a teaspoon at a time to the strained glutinous rice, mix well, till all rice grains turned light yellow (you may not need all the alkaline water)
Take 2 pieces of bamboo leaves, line one on top of another, fold them from the middle and twist both ends up to form a cone/triangular pouch.
Fill the pouch with 2 tablespoons of glutinous rice, top with a ball of adzuki bean paste, then followed by 2 tablespoons glutinous rice, hold the pouch tight and close the leaves.
Tie it with the string to make sure the dumpling is securely wrapped and no spill. Trim away any jutting out, excessive leaf.
Repeat the steps till all ingredients are used up.
Half fill a large deep pot with water, and bring it to a boil. Put the wrapped dumplings into the water then top up more water to cover all dumplings.
Add a teaspoon of salt and 1/4 tsp borax (optional) into the water and keep boiling it for about 1 to 2 hours. These prevent the rice from sticking to the leaves.
Drain the cooked dumplings and serve hot.



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