Chinese Sticky Rice in Lotus Leaf (Nuomi Ji)

Ingredients

• 400 g glutinous rice, soaked in cold water 4–6 hours, drained
• 4 dried lotus leaves, soaked in hot water until fully pliable, patted dry
• For the filling
• 300 g boneless chicken thigh, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 2 lap cheong (Chinese sausage), sliced on the diagonal
• 6 dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked until soft, stems removed, caps quartered
• 30 g dried shrimp, soaked in cold water 20 minutes, drained
• 2 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
• 1 tbsp oyster sauce
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp shaoxing rice wine
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tbsp neutral oil, for stir-frying
• For the rice
• 1 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tsp sesame oil

Method

1. 1
   Soak the lotus leaves in a large basin of hot water for at least 30 minutes, turning occasionally, until they are fully pliable and yield without resistance. A leaf that still stiffens or cracks at the fold is not ready — return it to the water. Trim away the hard central stem if present, then pat the leaves dry.
2. 2
   Drain the soaked glutinous rice. Spread it in a single layer in a steamer lined with damp muslin. Steam over vigorously boiling water for 20 minutes. The grains should be just translucent at the edges but still firm at the core — they will finish cooking inside the parcel. Transfer to a bowl and season with the light soy sauce and sesame oil, folding through evenly.
3. 3
   Heat the neutral oil in a wok over high heat. Add the chicken pieces and stir-fry until the surfaces are sealed and no longer pink. Add the dried shrimp, mushrooms, and lap cheong and toss together for one further minute. Add the light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, shaoxing wine, sugar, and sesame oil. Stir-fry until everything is glazed and the sauce has reduced to a coating consistency — this is where the dish lives or dies: the filling must be aggressively, even excessively, seasoned at this stage, as the rice will absorb and dilute every note of flavour during steaming. Taste and correct.
4. 4
   Lay one prepared lotus leaf on the work surface, smooth side up. Place a quarter of the seasoned rice at the centre, pressing it into a rough rectangle. Spoon a quarter of the filling onto the rice. Cover with a second, slightly thinner layer of rice, encasing the filling completely. Fold the lotus leaf around the package firmly — left side, right side, then top and bottom — forming a flat rectangular parcel. Repeat with the remaining leaves and filling.
5. 5
   Arrange the parcels seam-side down in a steamer basket. Steam over vigorously boiling water for 30 minutes. When done, the lotus leaf will have deepened to an olive-brown and the exterior of the parcel will feel firm and yielding simultaneously when pressed — the rice within will have fully cohered into one sticky mass.
6. 6
   Serve the parcels immediately, seam-side down on individual plates. Unfold the lotus leaf at the table: the released steam will carry the faint floral, hay-like fragrance that is the dish's signature. The rice should be uniformly glutinous and the filling visible at the centre when cut.