Sticky rice, cooked in a leaf
A little parcel that's so much more than the sum of its parts — a small story of rice, leaf and tradition.
What is a Zòngzì?
Zòngzì (粽子) are parcels of sticky rice, wrapped in bamboo or reed leaves, tied with string and steamed or boiled for a long time. As they cook, the rice takes on the delicate, grassy-green aroma of the leaves.
The filling is what makes each Zòngzì: savoury with marinated pork belly and sometimes salted egg yolk, or sweet with red bean paste. Every region — and every family — has its own way of folding and filling them.
Where they come from
Zòngzì belong to the Dragon Boat Festival (Duānwǔ), celebrated every year in early summer. As the story goes, they honour the poet Qū Yuán: people threw rice parcels into the water so the fish would spare him — and that became a festival dish.
Today they're enjoyed all year round, but around the festival almost every family wraps their own. It's a dish that tastes like home.
Zòngzì in Switzerland
Good bamboo leaves and sticky rice aren't on every shop shelf here, and hours of wrapping and steaming take time. That's exactly why we're here: we make fresh Zòngzì by hand, in small batches, right here in Switzerland.
Whether you grew up in China and miss the aroma of years gone by, or you're trying them for the first time — treat yourself to a warm little parcel of tradition. Pickup in Zürich and Aarau.
Feeling hungry?
Take a look at the varieties and prices and drop us a quick message — we wrap them fresh to order.