With the Dragon Boat Festival approaching, how can we indulge in zongzi (sticky rice dumplings) while maintaining a healthy and weight-conscious diet? Huang Linhui, a nutritionist from China Medical University Hsinchu Hospital, suggests a delicious and low-calorie alternative: cauliflower zongzi. By replacing glutinous rice with cauliflower rice, each cauliflower zongzi contains approximately 350 calories, which is 30-40% fewer calories than traditional meat-filled zongzi. This modification reduces starch content while maintaining a high nutritional value.

Nutritionist Chen Zixian advises using trendy cauliflower rice as a substitute for glutinous rice to reduce starch content and calorie intake while preserving the texture and flavor of zongzi. Cauliflower offers numerous benefits, including being rich in dietary fiber, vitamins A, C, E, and various phytochemicals that have antioxidant properties. Importantly, cauliflower rice contains significantly fewer calories than white rice, with around 25 calories per 100 grams compared to approximately 170 calories in the same quantity of white rice. With its low calorie content and filling nature, cauliflower rice has become a popular choice for those seeking weight loss and low-carb diets.

Chen Zixian provides the recipe for low-calorie cauliflower zongzi. The required ingredients include 400 grams of cauliflower florets (approximately 350 calories), which can be purchased as prepackaged cauliflower rice for convenience, 15 grams of psyllium husk powder, 100 grams of lean pork, 6 dried shiitake mushrooms, 15 grams of dried shrimp, 3 salted egg yolks, 10 grams of fried shallots, soy sauce (to taste), pepper (to taste), salt (to taste), and oil (as needed).

Here's the preparation method:

1. Wash and dry the cauliflower florets, then use a food processor to grind them into a rice-like consistency. Alternatively, use prepackaged cauliflower rice.
2. Wash the zongzi leaves, zongzi strings, and dried shiitake mushrooms separately and soak them in water. Reserve the soaking liquid from the mushrooms.
3. Marinate the lean pork with soy sauce, pepper, and salt for half an hour. Fry the pork in oil until golden brown.
4. In a heated pan with oil, sauté the fried shallots, dried shrimp, and mushrooms. Add the cauliflower rice and stir-fry together. Then, add the mushroom soaking liquid, soy sauce, pepper, and salt for seasoning. Finally, mix in the psyllium husk powder to enhance the stickiness and simulate the texture of glutinous rice.
5. Take two zongzi leaves and fold them into a funnel shape. Fill them sequentially with cauliflower rice, pork, and salted egg yolk. Fill the rest with cauliflower rice and use zongzi strings to tie them securely. Steam the zongzi for 15 minutes, and they are ready to be enjoyed.