Sago Crystal Dumplings (Sago Zongzi) with Red Bean Paste
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Chinese
Prep Time: 40 minutesminutes
Cook Time: 50 minutesminutes
Soaking bamboo leaves: 1 dayday
Total Time: 1 dayday1 hourhour30 minutesminutes
Servings: 10zongzi
Author: Marvellina
Learn how to make zongzi made with Sago tapioca pearls and filled with sweet red bean paste and served with palm sugar syrup. They can be made without wrapping too.
Place the palm sugar and water in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat until sugar has melted. Remove from the heat and can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 1 month
Soak the bamboo leaves (the day before):
Soak the bamboo leaves in water the day before until they are soft. Drai off the water the next day and wipe them dry ready for wrapping
Soaking the sago pearls:
Place the sago pearls in a large mixing bowl
Pour enough water to cover the sago pearls for 30 minutes
They will plump up and double in volume. Pour into a strainer to drain off water. Squeeze out any excess water. Too much water will affect the texture of the zongzi
This is after the water is drained off
Mix sago pearls with other ingredients:
Mix the soaked sago pearls with sugar and water
Stir to mix everything. If you want to add food coloring, you will add it here
Wrap the sago pearls with bamboo leaves:
Stack 2 bamboo leaves on top of each other
Fold at the middle
to create a cone shape
Fill up with some soaked sago pearls. Kinda spreading it towards the side too
Place the red bean paste balls in
Cover with more soaked sago pearls. Use the back of a spoon to really pack them in tight
Fold both sides
Fold the top over
Fold the two sides in and you have that extra piece
Fold the extra piece to either side
Secure with a kitchen twine
No wrap sago pearls:
You can use ramekins if you don't want to wrap the dumplings with bamboo leaves. Brush the ramekins with some oil and fill it up about 3/4 full
Instant Pot pressure cooker method:
Fill up the inner pot with 1 cup of water. Place the trivet in and arrange the wrapped dumplings on top of the trivet. You may stack on top of other dumplings. Try to pressure cook about 10-12 at one go
Close the lid and turn the steam release valve to sealing and press pressure cooker and make sure it's on high pressure. Set the timer to 15 minutes and release pressure immediately
Steaming on the stove method:
Bring the water in the steamer to a rolling boil. Arrange the dumplings in the steamer and steam over high heat for 30 minutes
Cooling down:
The dumplings will still be super soft after steaming or pressure cooking. Let them cool down for about 10 minutes and then remove from the pressure cooker to a rack to let them cool down completely. If you are using ramekin to steam the zongzi, you can run a knife around the edge and then unmould
They are best served the next day. The dumplings will remain soft at room temperature. Once you refrigerate, they will turn opaque and harden, this is normal. Once you reheat, they will be soft again