Zongzi (Rice Dumpling)

In China, probably every family eats zongzi on lunar May 5 in memory of patriotic poet Qu Yuan (see pages 28-30), though these days the dish has become something of a snake. Arguably, the very best zongzi is produced in Jiaxing, Zhejiang Province where, in times past, it was produced in ordinary families' special cooking areas, or sometimes workshop. Some individuals could stuff as many as 2,000 pieces of zongzi every day.

Step One: Prepare ingredients.

Buy sticky rice, zongzi wrappers and mali (a type of cord) from the market and select your favorite vegetables and meats to make the stuffing. Possibilities include jujube, sweetened bean paste or preserved ham. Before stuffing, place the sticky rice and wrappers in the water to soak for five minutes.

Two: Stuffing the zongzi

Spread the three sections of wrapper onto your left palm and fold them into a triangular shape, or "nest". Press your meat and vegetable mix into the sticky rice. The mix should be fully covered by the rice. Use the fourth piece of wrapper to secure any open edges and to avert spillage. Finally, use mali to securely bind the triangle.

Three: Cooking

Boil water. When it bubbles, cook the zongzi for 30 minutes on simmer heat.