Lo Mai Gai (糯米鸡) — Lotus Leaf Sticky Rice Parcel

Ingredients

• For the glutinous rice
• 400 g glutinous rice, soaked in cold water for a minimum of 4 hours, then drained
• 2 tbsp oyster sauce
• 1 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine
• For the chicken filling
• 300 g chicken thigh, boned, skinned, diced
• 1 tbsp light soy sauce, for marinade
• 1 tbsp oyster sauce, for marinade
• 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine, for marinade
• 1 tsp sesame oil, for marinade
• 1 tsp cornstarch, for marinade
• 6 dried shiitake mushrooms, reconstituted in warm water, stems removed, caps diced
• 2 lap cheong (Chinese sausage), diced
• 30 g dried shrimp, rinsed
• For the parcels
• 2 dried lotus leaves, soaked in warm water for 30 minutes, each cut in half

Method

1. 1
   Soak the glutinous rice in cold water for a minimum of 4 hours. Drain thoroughly. Place in a steamer basket over vigorously boiling water and steam for 30 minutes. The grains should be cooked through but retain a slight firmness at the centre — press one grain between finger and thumb to confirm it yields without remaining chalky.
2. 2
   Transfer the hot rice to a bowl. Add the oyster sauce, light soy sauce, sesame oil, and Shaoxing wine. Fold through while the rice is still warm so the seasoning is absorbed evenly. The rice should carry an even amber gloss and smell of soy, wine, and sesame.
3. 3
   Combine the diced chicken thigh with the soy sauce, oyster sauce, Shaoxing wine, sesame oil, and cornstarch. Leave to marinate while the rice steams. Stir-fry the marinated chicken over high heat, moving constantly, until 80% cooked — the exterior will have turned white but the centre will still show faint pink. Remove from the heat. Fold in the diced reconstituted shiitake mushrooms, diced lap cheong, and dried shrimp.
4. 4
   This is where the parcel lives or dies: an under-soaked or under-steamed lo mai gai will emerge from its final steam with hard, starchy grains that no amount of time can correct. Confirm the lotus leaf halves have soaked a full 30 minutes — they should be pliable and give off their characteristic grassy, slightly floral scent. Lay one leaf half flat, rough side up. Place a generous scoop of seasoned rice (approximately one quarter of the total) in the centre and press a hollow into the middle. Spoon one quarter of the chicken filling into the hollow. Cover with a second scoop of rice to enclose the filling completely. Fold the sides of the lotus leaf up and over, then fold the top and bottom to form a neat, tight parcel. Secure firmly with kitchen twine. The parcel should feel dense and compact under the hand — any looseness will allow steam to escape and the rice to dry unevenly.
5. 5
   Place the four parcels seam-side down in a steamer over vigorously boiling water. Steam for a minimum of 30 minutes, and ideally 45 minutes. At 30 minutes, unfold one parcel at its corner: the rice should be fully tender and glistening, with no residual firmness. The lotus leaf will have darkened to an olive-brown and the escaping steam will carry the leaf's fragrance clearly. If any chalkiness remains, reseal and continue steaming.