• Soak the glutinous rice in three cups of water over night. Drain the rice thoroughly after soaking then add the salt and alkaline water. Mix well and set aside.
• Boil 2 quarts of water in a wok and rehydrate the dried bamboo leaves. Cut 7 pieces of butcher’s twine about four feet each in length. Collect the strands together and fold them into half. Tie a knot at the fold with a one-inch loop. Hang the loop on a sturdy hook on a wall or door. Wrap each Zongzi by following the wrapping instructions below.
• Heat 4 quarts of water in an 8-quart stockpot and bring to a boil. Lower all the zongzi into the pot and cook for about two and a half hours. Remove the zongzi from the water and let cool to room temperature before serving.

Wrapping zongzi

• Trim each bamboo leaf at the stem end by cutting off about 1/2 inch of the leaf. Overlap two bamboo leaves topside up with ends facing in the opposite directions. Fold the leaves at about one-third length and twist the bottom around to form a cone.
• Put about one tablespoon of glutinous rice in the cone. Put one tablespoon red bean paste on top of the rice. Add more rice over the filling.
• Fold the longer end of the bamboo leaves over the cone. Fold the leaves along the vein in the middle. Bend the excess folded leaves to one side and completely wrap the dumpling. Use a butcher twine from the bundle to tie the dumpling tightly.