Bamboo Shoot Zongzi

Bamboo Shoot Zongzi

　　Bamboo Shoot Zongzi: The uniquely flavored Qingyuan Bamboo Shoot Zongzi is little known. It is called “Bamboo Shoot Zongzi” because “bamboo shoot oil” is used in its preparation. This “bamboo shoot oil” is made from the bamboo shoot broth used in bamboo shoot factories (workshops that traditionally produced white dried bamboo shoots and bamboo shoot jerky). By boiling down the broth, it is concentrated into a gelatinous form—this is the “bamboo shoot oil.” The entire process of making Bamboo Shoot Zongzi revolves around bamboo shoots: first, the glutinous rice is washed and then mixed with an appropriate amount of “bamboo shoot oil” to allow the grains to absorb the oil and swell. Then it is wrapped in bamboo shoot husks and boiled in a clay stove for a day and a night until fully cooked and tender. The resulting zongzi are golden-yellow, translucent, and as lustrous as tianhuang stone—vibrant in color and delicious in taste, winning widespread popularity.