Zongzi is traditionally eaten during the Dragon Boat Festival which falls on the fifth day of the lunnar calendar (June 6, this year). It is made of glutinous rice stuffed with different fillings and wrapped in bamboo leaves.
In Taiwan the most popular style is southern Taiwanese zong (南部粽) wrapped with leaves of bamboo (麻竹葉) then cooked by boiling.The shape of zongzi ranges from being relatively tetrahedral in southern China to cylindrical in northern China.
Wrapping a zongzi neatly is a skill which is passed down through families, as are the recipes. Like tamale-making in Mexico and Pamonha-making in Brazil, making zongzi was a family event with everyone helping out.
Our filling will be shallot, pork, mushroom and chestnut. Each person will bring home 3 of them. You will try it right after you make it too. I will make it no matter how many people come because it can storage in the freezer.