By Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff | Published on June 11, 2026
Serves 16
306 cal · 135 min
Glutinous Rice Dumpling with Pork
Recipe GLPR9da1220158c786
A traditional Chinese glutinous rice dumpling stuffed with tender pork belly, aromatic mushrooms, chestnuts, and dried shrimps, seasoned with five-spice powder and wrapped in bamboo leaves. This savory, steamed dumpling is packed with umami flavors and makes an authentic main course or celebration dish.
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Ingredients
1 lb Pork belly
8 pieces Dried shiitake mushrooms
16 pieces Dried chestnuts
¼ cup Dried shrimps
1 tablespoon Dark soy sauce
1 tablespoon Five-spice powder for filling
1 teaspoon Salt for filling
4 cups Glutinous rice
4 cups Water
2 tablespoons Chopped shallots
1 tablespoon Five-spice powder for rice
2 teaspoons Salt for rice
32 pieces Dried bamboo leaves
Directions
Prepare the filling: Cut the pork belly into small cubes. Rehydrate the dried shiitake mushrooms by soaking in warm water for 20 minutes; drain, remove stems, and cut caps into small pieces. Soak dried chestnuts in warm water for 15 minutes and drain. Rinse the dried shrimps thoroughly and chop coarsely.
Cook the pork: In a pot or skillet, heat the pork belly cubes over medium-high heat without added oil, stirring frequently until the fat renders and the pork begins to brown, about 8-10 minutes. The pork should reach an internal temperature of 160F when checked with a meat thermometer.
Combine filling ingredients: Add the cooked pork, mushroom pieces, chestnuts, dried shrimps, dark soy sauce, five-spice powder, and salt to a bowl. Mix thoroughly until all ingredients are evenly distributed. Set the filling aside to cool slightly.
Prepare the glutinous rice: In a pot, combine the glutinous rice, water, chopped shallots, five-spice powder, and salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for about 15 minutes until the rice is cooked but still slightly firm and sticky. Stir gently and let cool for 5 minutes.
Soften the bamboo leaves: Soak the dried bamboo leaves in warm water for 10 minutes until they become pliable, then drain and pat dry with a clean cloth.
Assemble the dumplings: Lay out two bamboo leaves in an overlapping cross pattern. Place about 3 tablespoons of cooked glutinous rice in the center, then add a heaping teaspoon of the pork filling on top. Cover with another 2-3 tablespoons of rice to encase the filling.
Wrap each dumpling: Fold the bamboo leaves up and around the rice mixture, creating a secure pyramid or rectangular parcel. Tuck in all the edges firmly so the dumpling holds its shape. Repeat until all filling and rice are used, making 16 dumplings.
Steam the dumplings: Arrange the wrapped dumplings seam-side down in a steamer basket lined with extra bamboo leaves. Steam over boiling water for 45-50 minutes, ensuring the water level remains above the steamer basket throughout cooking.
Rest and serve: Remove the dumplings from the steamer and let them rest for 5 minutes before serving. Serve warm in the bamboo leaf wrapping or unwrapped on a platter.
Comments
Bamboo leaves for wrapping are the real obstacle here: you'll need an Asian specialty store, likely outside Charlotte's major chains, which adds a significant errand to your weekend. Pork belly, shiitake, chestnut, and shrimp are available at Harris Teeter or Kroger, but the five-spice powder and glutinous rice (sticky rice) are hit-or-miss at standard grocers—ALDI sometimes stocks them, but don't count on it. At roughly $1.50 to $2.00 per dumpling for ingredients, this is moderate for a special-occasion dish, though the 135-minute time is honest and doesn't hide assembly work. This is a labor-intensive, same-night meal that pays off for a crowd rather than a weeknight family dinner, and it does not reheat well.
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