Have you found any interesting zongzi 粽子

[abcdefg]

Today is Dragon Boat Festival 端午节。 I'm not a big fan of zongzi 粽子 but have had some anyhow. One friend brought over a box of them as a gift and they were also on the table at a couple places I visited. 

 

Have seen TV feature reports about the huge variety available. Even in my two local neighborhood supermarkets, several aisles have been given over to frozen food chests where they are for sale in any flavor you could possibly desire. Temporary hawker ladies will sell you a big batch if you break your stride as you walk by or if you blink twice. If you make eye contact, your goose is cooked. They won't take no for an answer. 

 

The local market has several elderly ladies 阿姨 making them small scale. Didn't buy any this year, though I usually do when they go on sale for half price the day after. Too much 糯米 nuomi/sticky rice interferes with my digestion. 

 

Just wondering if any of you found some that were real good that you would like to talk about. 

 

A couple years ago I attended the big international dragon boat races in 澳门。This year I stayed home. Anyone see the boat races?  

 

Here are some shots from a previous race (2017):

 

https://www.chinese-forums.com/forums/topic/54268-traditional-festival/?tab=comments#comment-416663

[ChTTay]

I also don’t really like zongzi. They’re always too wet for me. Have yet to find one with a filling I really like either.

 

I do generally like the sticky rice you find served in South East Asia though. 

[mungouk]

Also not a fan of sticky/glutinous rice (are they the same?).

 

We got goodie bags at work as gifts, which included all sweet zongzi I think... red bean, dates and one other which I’ll have to check when I get home.  The dates one sounds interesting, but see above.

 

I am a prolific consumer of Onigiri from the 7-Eleven though... the ideal snack. What are they called in Chinese?  Is it 饭团?

[abcdefg]

6 minutes ago, mungouk said:

Also not a fan of sticky/glutinous rice (are they the same?).

 

Yes, those are the same. 

 

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ChTTay: "I do generally like the sticky rice you find served in South East Asia though." 

 

I always look forward to "mango sticky rice" in Thailand. 

[abcdefg]

This is about a lesser known Dragon Boat Festival tradition:

 

https://www.chinese-forums.com/forums/topic/56680-culture-clues-what-holiday-is-this/?tab=comments#comment-438836 

[Jim]

Had a big celebration at the daughter's preschool and back at the ranch three types of home-made zongzi - meat, veggie and sweet for dipping in honey.

[abcdefg]

My ladyfriend brought over some with chestnut and roast pork filling 栗子叉烧。Pretty good. 

 

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Did the sweet ones have red bean filling? 

 

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Did the sweet ones have red bean paste filling? 

[Jim]

12 hours ago, abcdefg said:

Did the sweet ones have red bean paste filling? 

No, they were a sort of saffron colour but not actually filled as such, rice all the way. Will have to ask the wife, I didn't have one as not much of a sweet tooth. The veggie ones had two sorts of beans in a savoury filling.

[Jim]

@abcdefg Just checked with the wife and apparently they were 碱水粽子 which is a Fujian speciality - remember some jugs of strange orange liquid while they were being made. https://baike.baidu.com/item/碱水粽子

[abcdefg]

Interesting. I've had alkali noodles, but never zongzi. The alkali noodles are supposed to have a slightly more chewy texture. To more closely resemble 刀削面。