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Sweet and juicy canned lychee pieces with natural blue color lychee syrup are molded into the shape of Chinese zongzi. They are fun and easy to make to celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival.
After making the easy fruit jelly dumplings, my kids requested me to make more. They really love eating those jellies. So refreshing in this scorching hot summer weather. Since I still have one can of lychee, I decided to do the lychee version. My thought was, the white lychee will make a good contrast with the light blue jelly. My kids love this version even more because they both love the sweet canned lychee.
Lychee Jelly Dumplings
Ingredients
If using agar agar powder:
- 4 g agar agar powder
- 6 g jelly powder see notes
- 80 g sugar
- 480 ml lychee juice from canned lychee, top up with water as needed
- 1 Tbsp dried blue pea flowers
If using gelatin powder:
- 18 g gelatin powder
- 80 ml water
- 400 ml lychee juice from canned lychee, top up with water as needed
- 80 g sugar
- 1 Tbsp dried blue pea flowers
Filling:
- 450 g canned lychee save the juice
Instructions
- I use 3 x 5 inches food-grade clear PP bag (polyproplyne bag), or we call it treat bags at the craft/baking store here in the U.S. This size can make about 12 small dumplings. If you want to make bigger one, use 4 x 6 inches. It yields about 6-7 large dumplings
- Portion out the lychee into individual bag. Save the juice. Place the bags inside a container to prop them up
If using agar agar powder:
- Combine agar agar, sugar, and jelly powder in a bowl. Whisk to mix. It is important that you combine them this way so they won't clump when you mix them with water.
- Pour 480 ml of lychee juice into a saucepan or a pot. Gradually sprinkle this mixture over the water and whisk until no lumps
- Turn on the heat to medium and keep whisking and bring to a gentle simmer. Make sure the agar has dissolved and you don't see any specks. The jelly won't set properly if agar is not dissolved. Add dried blue pea flowers and let them steep for 10 minutes. Transfer to a measuring cup with a spout for easier pouring
- Cool the agar mixture to no more than 140 F (60 C), but no cooler than 122 F (50 C) because agar will start to set/solidify. Proceed to assembling step
If using gelatin powder:
- Pour 480 ml of lychee juice and add sugar in a saucepan. Put this on the stove over medium heat and bring to a gentle simmer just to dissolve the sugar. Add dried blue pea flowers and let them steep for 10 minutes. Do not hard boil it. Let it cool down to warm before mixing it with gelatin
- Meanwhile, sprinkle gelatin over 80 ml of water in a heat-proof glass/bowl. Don't dump all in the water because it will clump up. Stir to combine and let it soften/bloom. Microwave on low in a 10 second increment until the gelatin melt. It turns clear and runny when it melts. Do not overheat as it weakens the gelatin
- If you don't have a microwave, just set the glass/bowl over a hot water bath and let it melt until it turns clear and runny
- Stir the gelatin into the water and sugar mixture you prepare earlier, make sure they comfortably warm and not boiling hot. Stir to combine. Proceed to assembling step
Assembling: (for both recipes)
- Pour this into individual bag. Pour until the liquid reach about the same height as the base
- Hold the bag and close it perpendicular to the base to form a triangle shape that resembles traditional zong zi. Fold the top down two to three times and secure with tape. Put it inside a container again to keep it in a standing position. Repeat with the rest
Chill:
- Transfer into the fridge to let it chill until they set firmly, about 1 hour or so if you are using agar. It takes at least 6 hours or so if you use gelatin. I like to leave them overnight so that they are decently chilled and feel refreshing when you eat them
To serve:
- Remove the tape and slide the jelly out onto a serving plate.
To store:
- The jelly dumplings can be kept refrigerated for 3-4 days before it starts losing its shape and turn watery
Marv’s Recipe Notes
*Nutrition facts are just estimates and calculated using online tools*
How to make lychee jelly dumplings
1. I use 3 x 5 inches food-grade clear PP bag (polyproplyne bag), or we call it treat bags at the craft/baking store here in the U.S. This size can make about 12 small dumplings. If you want to make bigger one, use 4 x 6 inches. It yields about 6-7 large dumplings
2. Portion out the lychee into individual bag. Place the bags inside a container to prop them up
3. If using agar agar: Combine agar agar, sugar, and jelly powder in a bowl. Whisk to mix. It is important that you combine them this way so they won’t clump when you mix them with water.
4. Pour 480 ml of water into a saucepan or a pot. Gradually sprinkle this mixture over the water and whisk until no lumps. 
5. Turn on the heat to medium and keep whisking and bring to a gentle simmer. Make sure the agar has dissolved and you don’t see any specks. The jelly won’t set properly if agar is not dissolved. Add dried blue pea flowers and let them steep for 10 minutes. 
6. Strain the juice out to a measuring cup with a spout for easier pouring. Dicard the flowers. Cool the agar mixture to no more than 140 F (60 C), but no cooler than 122 F (50 C) because agar will start to set/solidify. Proceed to assembling step
7. If using gelatin powder: Pour 480 ml of water and add sugar in a saucepan. Put this on the stove over medium heat and bring to a gentle simmer just to dissolve the sugar. Add dried blue pea flowers and let them steep for 10 minutes. Do not hard boil it. Let it cool down to warm before mixing it with gelatin
8. Meanwhile, sprinkle gelatin over 80 ml of water in a heat-proof glass/bowl. Don’t dump all in the water because it will clump up. Stir to combine and let it soften/bloom. Microwave on low in a 10 second increment until the gelatin melt. It turns clear and runny when it melts. Do not overheat as it weakens the gelatin
9. Stir the gelatin into the blue pea flower mixture you prepare earlier, make sure they comfortably warm and not boiling hot. Stir to combine. Proceed to assembling step
10. Pour this into individual bag. Pour until the liquid reach about the same height as the base
11. Hold the bag and close it perpendicular to the base to form a triangle shape that resembles traditional zong zi. 
12. Fold the top down two to three times and secure with tape. 
13. Put it inside a container again to keep it in a standing position. Repeat with the rest
14. Transfer into the fridge to let it chill until they set firmly, about 1 hour or so if you are using agar. It takes at least 6 hours or so if you use gelatin. I like to leave them overnight so that they are decently chilled and feel refreshing when you eat them
15. Remove the tape and slide the jelly out onto a serving plate
Did you make this lychee jelly dumpling recipe?
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