P
Chinese · Guangdong Province
Chinese Sticky Rice in Lotus Leaf (Nuomi Ji)
Nuomi ji (Lo mai gai): glutinous rice mixed with chicken, Chinese sausage, dried mushrooms, and dried shrimp, wrapped in dried lotus leaves and steamed. A dim sum cornerstone that combines multiple techniques: the glutinous rice must be par-cooked; the filling cooked separately and flavoured richly; the lotus leaf provides aromatic steam during cooking.
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I
The Market List
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400 g
glutinous rice
soaked in cold water 4–6 hours, drained
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
4
dried lotus leaves
soaked in hot water until fully pliable, patted dry
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
For the filling
300 g
boneless chicken thigh
cut into bite-sized pieces
Your own market
2
6
dried shiitake mushrooms
soaked until soft, stems removed, caps quartered
Your own market
30 g
2 tbsp
light soy sauce
1 tbsp
dark soy sauce
1 tbsp
oyster sauce
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
1 tsp
sesame oil
Your own market
1 tsp
shaoxing rice wine
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
1 tsp
sugar
Your own market
1 tbsp
neutral oil
for stir-frying
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
For the rice
1 tbsp
light soy sauce
1 tsp
sesame oil
Your own market
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II
The Method
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
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
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.
From the canon — Lap cheong (腊肠, Cantonese: lap cheung, Mandarin: la chang) are the sweet, intensely flavoured, dried Chinese pork sausages that are one of the most distincti… Lap Cheong (腊肠) — Chinese Sausage: Curing and Drying Tradition →
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
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
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.
III
Quality Hierarchy
01
Reserve — Freshly milled glutinous rice from a specialist Cantonese supplier, premium lap cheong with a high pork-fat ratio, and whole dried lotus leaves of unbroken, deep-green quality — the leaf aroma is maximally preserved.
02
Estate — Good-quality glutinous rice from a Chinese grocer, dried shiitake of medium grade (whole caps, not broken), and lap cheong from a Cantonese charcutier — reliable and in character.
03
Market — Supermarket glutinous rice, vacuum-packed lap cheong, sliced dried shiitake, and lotus leaves sold in bulk — serviceable; seasoning must compensate for any deficit in ingredient depth.
04
House — Glutinous rice substituted in part with long-grain; generic Chinese sausage; pre-sliced mushrooms — the texture will be less cohesive and the fragrance of the leaf less present, but the dish remains recognisable.
IV
Sensory Tests
◇Touch. The soaked lotus leaf folds at any angle without cracking or splitting — it yields like soft leather.
◇Sight. The par-steamed rice grains are just translucent at their edges; the opaque white centre signals they are not yet fully cooked, which is correct at this stage.
◇Taste. The finished filling, tasted alone from the wok, tastes stronger than desired in the final dish — that excess is precisely what the rice requires.
◇Touch. The finished parcel, pressed through the leaf, feels firm yet slightly springy — not hard, not watery — indicating the rice has fully gelatinised.
◇Smell. On unfolding at the table, a faint floral, hay-like fragrance rises with the steam — the presence of this aroma confirms the leaf has performed its function.
◇Where it lives or dies. The filling must be aggressively seasoned before the rice is added — it cannot be corrected once sealed, and an underseasoned filling produces a finished dish that tastes flat despite the aromatic leaf.
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VI
What to Pour
The pairing
Baijiu
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