Zhu Tong Fan Taiwanese Bamboo Rice Recipes

Steps:

• Soak the glutinous rice with enough cold water to cover in a medium bowl for at least 8 hours or overnight.
• Shortly before the rice is ready, soak the lotus seed and red dates with enough cold water to cover in a medium bowl until the dates have softened, about 40 minutes. Drain the lotus seed and dates and keep them in the bowl. Using a sharp paring knife, make a vertical cut into a date (stem-side facing up) until you hit the seed and then carefully rotate the knife around the seed. Remove the seed from the date halves, scraping off as much of the flesh as you can. Discard the seed and return the date halves to the bowl. Repeat with the remaining dates and then set aside with the lotus seed.
• Fill a 12-inch skillet or wok with about 2 inches of water, then place a 10-inch bamboo or metal steamer basket in the skillet. Make sure the water doesn't touch the bottom insert. If it does, remove some of the water. Remove the steamer basket and bring the water to a simmer.
• Meanwhile, line the steamer basket with two layers of damp cheesecloth. Place the soaked rice in the basket, spread it in an even layer and poke a few holes halfway through the rice to help it cook evenly. When the water is simmering, put the basket in the skillet, cover and steam until the rice is just past the al dente stage, about 50 minutes (see Cook's Note).
• Meanwhile, soak the goji berries with enough cold water to cover in a small bowl until softened, about 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.
• Lightly spray a 24-ounce heatproof ceramic or metal bowl with nonstick cooking spray, then cover the entire bowl with a piece of damp cheesecloth, letting the ends fall over the sides of the bowl. Lightly spray the cheesecloth with nonstick cooking spray. Set the prepared bowl aside.
• When the rice has finished steaming, transfer it to a large bowl and discard the cheesecloth. (Keep the skillet and steamer for a later step.) Add 1 tablespoon of the sugar, the butter and 3 tablespoons water to the rice and stir until the sugar has dissolved and the butter is equally distributed. Keep the rice covered to prevent it from drying out as you proceed with the recipe.
• Fill a small bowl with water and dip your fingers in it, as needed, when working with the rice to keep it from sticking to your skin. Place the soaked lotus seed in the center of the prepared cheesecloth-lined bowl. Arrange the soaked goji berries and pumpkin seeds in a circle around the lotus seed, alternating them and pointing the ends toward the center to form a flower design. Gently dot 1/4 cup of the rice over the design without disrupting it. Gently press the rice into an even layer and cover the entire design.
• Arrange the raisins and golden raisins in a circle around the edge of the rice, alternating them and putting them end to end. Gently dot 3/4 cup of the rice over the raisins without disrupting them. Gently press the rice into an even layer and cover all the raisins. Spread 2 tablespoons of the red bean paste evenly over the rice, keeping about a 1-inch border around the perimeter of the rice. Dot 3/4 cup of the rice over the red bean paste. Gently press the rice into an even layer and cover all the bean paste.
• Arrange the apricots, dates halves, and cherries around the edge of the rice, alternating them and pointing the ends toward the center of the bowl. Dot 1 cup of the rice over the ring of fruit without disrupting the pieces. Gently press the rice into an even layer and cover all the fruit. Spread the remaining 1/4 cup red bean paste evenly over the rice, keeping about a 1-inch border around the perimeter of the rice. Dot the remaining rice over the red bean paste. Gently press the rice into an even layer and cover all the bean paste. Fold the edges of the cheesecloth over the rice and drizzle with a little warm water if the cheesecloth has dried out.
• Replenish the water in the skillet, as needed, and bring to a simmer. When the water is simmering, set the bowl in the steamer, cover and steam until the rice is tender, about 40 minutes (see Cook's Note). Remove the bowl from the steamer and let the rice rest for about 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, whisk together the remaining 3 tablespoons sugar, the cornstarch and 1/2 cup cold water in a small pot until the cornstarch and sugar are dissolved. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat and cook until the mixture thickens slightly, about 4 minutes. Cover the sugar syrup and keep warm.
• Pull the cheesecloth away from the top of the rice. Cover the bowl with a serving plate a couple inches wider than the top of the bowl. Pressing the plate firmly against the bowl, carefully flip the bowl over. Set the plate on a counter, gently remove the bowl and peel the cheesecloth off the rice. Brush about half of the sugar syrup onto the rice. Cut the dessert into wedges like a cake and serve with the extra syrup on the side.

Steps:

• Start the day before you want to make the dumplings!
• Soak rice, mung beans and bamboo leaves in separate containers overnight. Place a bowl or plate over the bamboo leaves to keep them submerged.
• Combine 2 tsp salt, black pepper, 1 clove garlic, rice wine, water, rock sugar, cinnamon, white pepper, cloves, coriander, fennel, fenugreek and 2 tbsp canola oil in bowl. Stir in cubed pork, cover and refrigerate overnight.
• The next day, drain rice and set aside.
• In a wok, heat remaining canola oil and stirfry remaining garlic, carrot, onion and ginger until slightly softened. Add chicken broth, 1 tsp salt, and fish sauce and stir well. Strain any excess marinade from pork and add to wok, (return Pork to fridge) and heat until bubbling. Add drained rice and stir frequently until liquid is absorbed. Let sit until cool enough to handle.
• Meanwhile, transfer bamboo leaves to large pot of boiling water and simmer 30 minutes to soften and sterilize. (Vinegar can be added here to soften them further.) Wipe each leaf with a sponge or scrubbing pad under cool running water to remove any remaining soil. You can trim off the stems with scissors.
• Drain mung beans and add white sugar and remaining 1/4 tsp salt.
• Prepare 25 or so 4' lengths of string. I tied groups of 5 together at one end, with a loop to hang from a hook on my cabinet. Then as I tie up my dumplings, they are hanging from the string and I can put them in and take them out of pots in groups of 5.
• Lay out your wrapping materials: softened bamboo leaves, rice mixture, mung beans and pork. You may want to keep the bowl of marinated pork in a larger bowl full of ice to keep it cold while you wrap.
• Take 2 bamboo leaves, overlapping along their long sides about half-way, and form a cone (see videos). Pat in about 2 tbsp rice mixture, then 1/2 tbsp mung beans, then 2 or 3 pieces of pork, another 1/2 - 1 tbsp mung beans, then cover with another 2 or 3 tbsp of rice mixture. You may need to add a third bamboo leaf to extend the cone.
• Use the ends of the leaves to firmly compress the cone of ingredients, and roughly shape the open end into a square or rectangle. Closing the bamboo leaf is tricky. I held the cone with the leaf ends pointing away from me. I folded the near edge towards the middle, folded the ends towards me over that, and carefully folded each side towards the middle, ensuring that the corners were covered. I always oriented my leaves the same way, so one side was leaf ends and the other was stem ends. I aimed to get the leaf ends under the stem ends. Then wind string around it until it seems secure. Keep wrapping dumplings until the filling is all gone. As I said, the first one took about 20 minutes, and several tries before it looked like it would hold together. The first 5 or so were quite ugly! But then I got the hang of it.
• Heat a large pot or wok of salted water to boil. Place a few extra or ripped bamboo leaves in first, then some dumplings, then some more leaves. The water should just about cover the dumplings. I did 10 at a time in my wok and large pot. Bring back to a boil, cover and reduce heat to medium-low to maintain a good bubbling simmer for 2 hours, adding water about half-way through. They should be puffed slightly and feel firm but squishy when you squeeze them. Drain and rinse off with cool water.
• Allow to cool or eat some hot right away. Remainder will keep in the fridge for 3-5 days, and they freeze well (up to 6 months in a good freezer, well-wrapped).

Steps:

• Place the pork into a mixing bowl and pour in the soy sauce and rice wine. Sprinkle with the white pepper, five-spice powder, and cornstarch. Mix well, then set aside to marinate. Soak the mushrooms in a bowl of cold water for 20 minutes, then pour off the water, cut off and discard the stems of the mushrooms. Slice the mushrooms thinly and reserve. Soak the rice vermicelli in a separate bowl of cold water for 10 minutes, then pour off the water and set the noodles aside.
• Heat 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil in a wok or large skillet over medium heat. Pour in the eggs, and cook until firm, flipping once, to make a pancake. Remove the egg pancake, and allow to cool, then thinly slice and place into a large bowl. Heat 2 more tablespoons of the vegetable oil in the wok over high heat. Stir in the garlic and dried shrimp, and cook until the shrimp become aromatic, about 20 seconds. Next, add the pork along with the marinade, and cook until the pork is no longer pink, about 4 minutes. Stir in the carrots and onion, and cook until the carrots begin to soften, about 3 minutes. Finally, add the bean sprouts, napa cabbage, and sliced mushrooms; cook and stir until the vegetables are tender, about 3 minutes more. Scrape the pork mixture into the bowl along with the eggs, then wipe out the wok and return it to the stove over medium-high heat.
• Heat the remaining vegetable oil in the wok, then stir in the drained rice vermicelli noodles. Cook and stir for a few minutes until the noodles soften, then stir in the reserved pork mixture. Scrape the mixture in to a serving bowl and garnish with cilantro to serve.