Lo Mai Gai — Sticky Rice & Chicken Lotus Leaf Parcels

⏱ 90 min · Serves 4

Fragrant glutinous rice steamed inside lotus leaves with soy-marinated chicken, shiitake and Chinese sausage. The leaves perfume the rice as it steams, and unwrapping each parcel at the table is half the pleasure. Worth the soak time — and they freeze beautifully.

Per serving: 648 kcal · 31.0g protein · 88.0g carbs · 18.5g fat

Ingredients

• 400g glutinous (sticky) rice, soaked 4 hours or overnight, drained
• 4 dried lotus leaves
• 6 dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked in 250ml warm water
• 300g boneless chicken thigh, cut into 3cm pieces
• 2 Chinese sausages (lap cheong), sliced on the diagonal
• 4 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
• 1 tbsp oyster sauce
• 2 tsp Shaoxing wine
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp caster sugar
• 1 tsp cornflour
• 2 tsp grated ginger
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 spring onions, chopped
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1/2 tsp white pepper
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 4 salted egg yolks, halved (optional)

Method

1. Soak the glutinous rice in cold water for at least 4 hours or overnight, then drain well.
2. Soak the lotus leaves in just-boiled water for 30 minutes until pliable. Rinse both sides, trim the tough stem, and cut each leaf in half if very large.
3. Soak the shiitake in warm water 30 minutes; squeeze out, reserving 200ml of the soaking liquid, and slice thickly.
4. Marinate the chicken with 2 tbsp light soy, oyster sauce, Shaoxing wine, sesame oil, sugar, cornflour, ginger, garlic and white pepper for 20 minutes.
5. Heat the oil in a wok over high heat. Sear the chicken 2–3 minutes until just coloured, add the shiitake and sausage and stir-fry 2 minutes more. Splash in the mushroom liquid, simmer 3 minutes, then stir through the spring onions and set aside.
6. Toss the drained rice with the remaining 2 tbsp light soy, the dark soy and salt until evenly coloured.
7. Lay a lotus leaf shiny side down. Spoon a quarter of the rice into the centre and flatten into a rectangle. Hollow the middle, add a quarter of the chicken mixture plus a salted egg yolk half, then cover with a little more rice and press to seal.
8. Fold in the sides and roll into a tight parcel, seam down. Repeat for all four. Tie with kitchen string if the leaves are unruly.
9. Steam over rapidly boiling water for 45 minutes, topping up the water as needed, until the rice is tender and translucent.
10. Rest 5 minutes, then open at the table — the steam is scented and scalding. Serve with extra soy or chilli oil.