How to Reheat Zongzi [4 Methods]
Did you know that over 3 billion people celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival every year? A lot of them make and eat Zongzi on this day. However, the dish can spoil easily if you don’t handle it well. With that said, how can you reheat zongzi?
You can reheat zongzi in a microwave at medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes or use a steamer to steam it for 20 minutes. Additionally, you can warm them in a pot for 6 to 8 minutes or use an oven, preheat it first then heat them for 10 minutes.
In this guide, I dive deep into the various methods you can use to reheat zongzi. So, stick around to learn more.
1. Reheat Zongzi in a Microwave
To reheat zongzi in a microwave, you’ll want to;
- Add some water to prevent them from drying out
- Put them on a microwave-safe plate in a single layer. You may need to heat your zongzi in batches if you have a lot.
- Add half a cup of water and cover the plate with plastic wrap
- Poke holes in the plastic wrap to let steam escape
- Heat at medium power for four to five minutes, then allow your zongzi to sit for another minute before carefully removing them from the microwave.
Also check out our latest blog on How to Reheat Steamed Clams [3 Easy Ways]
2. Reheat Zongzi in a Steamer
Reheat Zongzi/rice dumplings/sticky rice dumplings in a steamer by following these simple steps:
- Put the sticky rice dumplings back in the bamboo leaves, close the bamboo leaves and wrap them with kitchen string if necessary.
- Steam the dumplings for 20 minutes, or until they are thoroughly heated through.
- Remove the dumplings from the steamer and serve immediately
3. Reheat Zongzi in a Pot
- Boil a pot of water and take out the zongzi, add them one by one, do not stack.
- After about 6-8 minutes, the zongzi will float. Then you can use chopsticks to poke on each zongzi. If the sticky rice does not stick on the chopsticks, then they are done.
4. Reheat Zongzi in an Oven
- Preheat the oven to 200 degrees.
- Place the sticky rice dumplings in a baking tray, and cover with aluminum foil. You can wrap each one individually if you wish.
- Put the tray in the oven and heat for about 10 minutes at 180 degrees Celsius/360 degrees Fahrenheit. Enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How Long Can You Keep Zongzi?
You can keep Zongzi for a long time, usually, one month is no problem. However, if you keep the zongzi for too long, its quality will be affected. The method to test whether it has been spoiled or not is to put it in water and see if it floats. If it does, then you can eat it; if not, discard it. However, I do not suggest you keep the zongzi for such a long time. If you have too many zongzi, you can put them in the freezer. The freezing temperature will stop the growth of any bacteria and prolong their shelf life by a few months.
2. Can You Eat Zongzi Leaves?
You can eat zongzi leaves. While it looks like it would be difficult to eat the bamboo leaves, many people do consume them along with the rice and filling. Zongzi leaves are not poisonous and are considered edible by many. They have little nutritional value. Besides, they consist primarily of water, but they do contain small amounts of vitamin C, beta-carotene, and protein.
The primary benefit of zongzi leaves is that they provide flavor to the food. The flavor does not last long after steaming so they can only be used once before becoming too bland to eat. In addition to that, zongzi leaves are known for their detoxifying properties due to their high levels of chlorophyll.
3. Does Zongzi Need to Be Refrigerated?
You can refrigerate zongzi if you want to. If you bought too much, it is to have them that way. But remember, do not put the zongzi in the refrigerator for too long, because zongzi can cause moisture and mold, which will affect the taste. But if you want refrigerated zongzi to taste better and fresher, you should wrap it in plastic wrap.
If you want to eat Zongzi a few days later, I suggest that you first put Zongzi in a plastic bag and seal it from oxygen. Then put it in the refrigerator. In this way, Zongzi will not be affected by air and will be kept for about five days.
But if you have already eaten half of the Zongzi and want to keep the remaining ones for a few days, I suggest that you wrap them in plastic wrap or cling film to avoid mold. If time permits, I suggest that you freeze those leftovers for about half a month.
4. What Goes Well With Zongzi?
Zongzi is often eaten with other dishes. The most common dish eaten together with zongzi is soybean milk and fried dough sticks (youtiao). Fried dough sticks are long and thin, like breadsticks or French fries but they taste like fried bread. They’re a little oily, but also very delicious!
Other popular side dishes for zongzi include radish cakes, marinated eggs (like hard-boiled eggs), stir-fried green vegetables, and soup noodles. If you want to try something different, you can also eat them with churros! I love eating zongzi dipped in chocolate sauce!
The best thing about these side dishes is that they’re easy to make and cook quickly — so you won’t have to wait too long for your meal!
Wrap Up
Hopefully you now understand the different ways to reheat zongzi. You can opt for a microwave, steamer, oven or a pot. Once you have your sticky rice dumplings, you can choose a method you prefer the most.