June - Summer COVID-19 ZongZe in July

Time flies.  Already August.  While at home quarantine, we still want to celebrate and carry on family tradition.  It's like making Christmas Tamales, in June, we make ZongZe.  ZongZe is spelled many different ways.  I think I've spelt it as Zong Tse.  Oh, well.  Regardless, we enjoy a whole meal in bamboo leaves enclosing glutinous rice and prizing flavorful pork  and some slivers of SHIITAKE mushrooms.  Or with red beans.  There are many other kinds with different fillings, but that's the simple version we like in the family.  We were late in making it, but we did it in July.

Here is our photo journal of it for year 2020 - COVID-19 summer.

Pork loins are cut into large 3 inch sizes.  Marinate them for three days.

The glutinous rice are washed and soaked overnight, the best.  Or at least 2 -3 hours.

I use Thailand's Glutinous Rice that is less starchy.

The sink sanitation is a must before soaking bamboo leaves in Hot boiling water.  If you have a large pot and large stove, you can boil them.  This will clean the leaves and soften them.

Scissor off the ends of the bamboo leaves.

Keep leaves soaked under the water.

The glutinous rice is soaked over night.

SHIITAKE is rehydrated in hot boiling water.  Sliced and added to the pork meat marinade.

Leaves are ready for use when they are quite soft.  Marinated meat after two days.  Usually three days is better.

Fold the end in and form a cone that is rectangular in shape to hole rice and meat.

Fill the large pot with cold water.

Cover with Lid and cook for 2 - 3 hours.  Do not open the lid

Take one out to taste.  Everything should be thoroughly cooked through, especially the glutinous rice.

The glutinous rice must be cooked through the first time in this 2 - 3 hour period.

Time for sharing and delivery with family.

Eat right out of the leaves or on a paper plate.  Reheat in microwave after removing the string and slightly opening the leaves. 

COVID-19 STAY HOME FAMILY BREAD MACHINE CONTEST

Everyone got a few extra free time inside the home and they needed some activities.  So, we tried bread machine Bread Baking Contest. 

And here is the photo journal of the result.

Some pre-bake testing by family contestant.

They dusted out their bread machine that has been hidden away for a long time.

Seems very promising.

The crumb looks pretty good.

More testing.

Troubleshooting. Other testing by other fam contestant.

It's the day!

Sliced and three bags are sent to judges' home.

The verdict was:

#1 is creamy and sweet.  Crumb is fine.

#2 is tart and sweet from raisin; crumb is soft.

#3 is buttery.  Crumb is fine. Bouncy.

And the winner is - #1.  the creamy and sweet.

The winner received Buca Di Beppo's Gift Card.

Polly's Easy Fresh Snap Pea Salad with Peach

Clean a bag of fresh snap peas, some home grown SHISO leaves - chopped.  Remove the ends from the snap peas, then, slice them diagonally.

Slice home grown crispy Chinese peach..  Toss and mix with dressing - white balsamic vinegar and some white vinegar.  Mix to your taste.