Sticky Rice Lotus Wrap (2) 糯米鸡 Recipe

Rinse and soak

Rinse the glutinous rice under cold water until the rinse water runs nearly clear. Place rice in a bowl and cover with 1000 ml cold water. Soak 4 hours or overnight until grains swell and soften.

Drain and par-steam

Drain the soaked rice thoroughly in a sieve. Transfer drained rice to a heatproof bowl or a cheesecloth-lined steamer tray. Steam over a medium-high steamer for 15–20 minutes until grains are opaque and just tender but still with slight chew (they will finish cooking later). Remove from steamer and spread into a large bowl. While hot, drizzle 1 tbs vegetable oil and 1 tbs light soy sauce over the rice and gently toss to coat and prevent sticking. Set aside.

Soak mushrooms & shrimp

Place the dried shiitake mushrooms and dried shrimp in separate small bowls. Cover mushrooms with hot water and soak 20–30 minutes until soft; reserve the mushroom soaking liquid and measure 60 ml (top up with water/stock if needed). Soak dried shrimp in hot water 10–15 minutes, then drain.

Prep ingredients

Drain mushrooms, squeeze out excess water and slice thinly. Slice Chinese sausage into thin rounds. Cut chicken thighs into 1 cm pieces.

Marinate chicken

In a bowl combine the chicken pieces with 1 tbs light soy sauce, 1 tbs Shaoxing wine, 1 tbs cornstarch and 1/2 tsp sesame oil (use part of the sesame oil from the listed 1 tsp). Add 1/8 tsp white pepper from the total. Toss to coat and marinate 20–30 minutes in the fridge while other prep continues.

Cook filling

Heat a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 tbs neutral oil. Add Chinese sausage and fry 1–2 minutes until it renders fat and becomes fragrant. Add soaked dried shrimp and sliced mushrooms; stir-fry 1 minute. Push ingredients to the side, add marinated chicken in a single layer and stir-fry until it is about 80% cooked (2–3 minutes).

Season filling

Mix together in a small bowl the remaining seasonings: 1 tbs oyster sauce, 1 tbs dark soy sauce, 1 tsp sugar, remaining 1/2 tsp sesame oil, remaining white pepper, and the reserved 60 ml mushroom soaking liquid/chicken stock. Pour into the wok, stir to combine and simmer 1–2 minutes until liquid reduces slightly and coats the filling. Taste and add up to 0.5 tsp salt if needed. If sauce is thin, stir a tiny extra pinch of cornstarch dissolved in 1 tsp water to thicken just enough to cling to ingredients. Remove filling from heat.

All listed sauces and seasonings have been allocated and used in prior steps: light soy (for rice and marinade), dark soy and oyster sauce (for filling for color and flavor), Shaoxing wine (marinade), sugar and white pepper (filling seasoning), sesame oil (finish and marinade), cornstarch (for marinade/thickening), chicken stock/mushroom liquid (to braise filling), and salt (adjust at end). Ensure you taste the filling and rice together before wrapping and adjust seasoning slightly if needed (a small pinch more salt or 1 tsp light soy distributed across rice can balance).

Prepare lotus leaves

Rinse the dried lotus leaves briefly, then soak them in hot water for 30 minutes until pliable. Drain and pat dry. Cut each leaf into two large rectangles if they are very large, so you can wrap a portion comfortably (for two servings, use one leaf per wrap). Brush the inner surface lightly with the 1 tbs oil or melted lard to prevent sticking and add sheen.

Combine rice and filling

Gently fold the cooked filling into the steamed rice, combining evenly but carefully so rice grains stay intact. Keep mixture warm.

Assemble parcels

Lay one lotus leaf flat, shiny side down. Spoon half of the rice-and-filling mixture (about half) into the center, shaping into a compact oval about 2–3 cm thick. Fold the sides of the leaf over the filling, then fold the ends to make a neat parcel. Tie with kitchen twine to secure. Repeat for the second leaf and remaining mixture.

Steam the parcels

Place wrapped parcels seam-side down in a steamer basket. Steam over medium-high heat for 25–30 minutes to ensure rice and chicken are fully tender and flavors have melded. If your parcels are small and rice was fully steamed beforehand, 20–25 minutes may suffice; for denser parcels allow full 30 minutes.

Rest and serve

Remove parcels from steamer and let rest 5 minutes. Cut twine, open leaf and serve hot. Serve each parcel whole or slice in half — the rice should be fragrant, glossy and fully cooked with savory pockets of chicken, mushroom and sausage.