Glutinous Rice Wrapped In Lotus Leaf (Lo Mai Gai) 糯米雞

Ingredients:  [Makes 10 medium-size parcels]

4 dried lotus leaves

• Blanch dried lotus leaves into boiling water for about 2 minutes.
• Wash and drain the leaves.  Pat dry with paper towel.
• Cut away the tough part near the base of the stem, then cut the leaves into thirds.

450g glutinous rice, washed and drained
400 ml water
3 cloves garlic, minced finely
2 shallots, sliced thinly

Seasoning for the rice:
2 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tsp dark soy sauce
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp sugar
pepper

• Heat about 3 tbsp oil  and stir fry minced garlic and shallots until aromatic, then put in glutinous rice and fry for about half a minute.  Then add in seasoning.  
• Fry for about 2 minutes, stirring continously.  
• Add in water and stir well.  Transfer into a steaming tray.
• Steam glutinous rice for about 20 minutes or until cooked.
• Fluff up the rice with a pair of chopsticks.

Fillings:
200g chicken thighs, cut into bite-size pieces
5 pieces dried shitake mushrooms, soaked to soften and cut into halves
50g dried shrimps, washed and soaked to soften - finely chopped (or you can leave them whole)
5 cloves garlic, minced
3 shallots, sliced thinly

Marinade:
1 tsp cornflour
1/2 tbsp Chinese cooking wine
1/2 tsp dark soy sauce
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1/2 tbsp light soy sauce
1/2 tsp sesame oil
ginger juice (extracted from 20g ginger, grated or pounded)
dash of pepper
1/2 tsp sugar

• Marinate chicken pieces with marinade for at least 30 minutes.
• Heat enough oil in a wok and sauté minced garlic and shallots until fragrant.  Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
• Stir fry dried shrimps until light brown and aromatic, add in a little of the sautéed garlic and shallots and stir to combine.  Dish out into a bowl and set aside.
• Fry mushrooms with a little oil and some sautéed garlic and shallots, add water and a little seasoning.  Cook until softened.  Transfer into a bowl and set aside.
• With enough oil, stir fry marinated chicken pieces with sautéed garlic and shallots until half-cooked.  Dish out into a bowl and set aside.

In order for my rice parcels to be consistent in size, I used a rectangle bowl (8 x 10 cm).

• Place a layer of rice at the base of the bowl, then place chicken, mushroom and dried shrimps; top it with more rice.  
• Invert the bowl onto the lotus leaf (I placed a small piece of bamboo leaf onto the lotus leaf).  Form a square parcel.
• Steam the rice parcels on high heat for about 30 minutes.