Lo Mai Gai
Sticky Lotus Leaf Wraps with Juicy Chicken Thighs
To make Lo Mai Gai, it is essential to steam while wrapped in a lotus leaf. During the steaming process the lotus leaf and sticky rice will be fused together, and the rice will soak in the flavorful grease of the meat filling. The fresh lotus leaf and chicken flavors can be tasted in the rice, and perfectly complement the rice without overpowering its inherent sweetness.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups (300 grams) sticky rice
- 2 chicken thighs
- 4 salted duck eggs
- 3 ½ ounces (100 grams) barbecued pork
- 3 ½ ounces (100 grams) sausage
- 1/4 cup (20 grams) shiitake mushrooms
- 4 dried lotus leaves
Seasonings
- 1 teaspoon (7 grams) salt
- 1 teaspoon (3 grams) chicken bouillon
- 1 teaspoon (5 grams) pepper
- 3 teaspoons (15 grams) oyster sauce
- 1 teaspoon (5 mL) cooking wine
- 1 teaspoon (5 mL) light soy sauce
- a bit of cooking oil
Cooking Directions
Preparations
- Wash the sticky rice, and soak in water for 12 hours. Allow to dry. After heating a pot, pour in the rice and stir-fry over low heat until a faint odor is produced.
- Soften the lotus leaves by soaking in water. Wash and boil in water for a short period of time, then remove from boiling water and allow to dry.
- Tip: Be sure not to boil the lotus leaves for too long, or they may lose some of their freshness and flavor.
How to make Lo Mai Gai filling
- Place the salted duck eggs in a pot along with water, and cook under high heat for 10 minutes.
- Wash the chicken thighs, and remove the bones. Dice the meat and add a dash of salt along with one teaspoon (5 grams) of cooking wine and one teaspoon (5 grams) of light soy sauce. Allow to sit for 30 minutes until the meat is salted.
- Soak the mushrooms in warm water, then wash and remove the caps before chopping into small pieces. Wash the barbecued pork and sausage, then cut into small slices.
- Heat a pot along with a small amount of cooking oil, then place in the sausage and barbecued pork to fry until a faint odor is produced. At this time, add in the mushrooms and chicken thigh meat along with the rest of the salt (approximately 5 grams), one teaspoon (3 grams) of chicken bouillon, one teaspoon (5 grams) of pepper, and three teaspoons (15 grams) of oyster sauce. Continue to stir-fry to create the filling.
- Tip: Because the sausage already contains grease, only add a small amount of cooking oil when stir-frying. This will keep the filling from being too greasy.
How to assemble Lo Mai Gai
- Place a layer of sticky rice on each lotus leaf, then add an appropriate amount of filling on top of the rice. Place a salted egg on top of the filling, and finally another layer of sticky rice. Fold each lotus leaf towards its center to form a rectangular shape, and tie a cotton thread to keep the leaf folded. Place onto a steamer tray.
Final Step
- Add a large amount of water to the steamer pot. Once boiling, place the steamer tray in to steam for 40 minutes under high heat.
The Origin of “Lo Mai Gai”
Lo Mai Gai originated in the night markets of Guangzhou, where the earliest form of the dish was made by steaming sticky rice together with salted chicken and sausage in a bowl made of china.
Today, a folded lotus leaf is typically used to form the rectangular shape of the dish. This is not only for convenience, since a larger amount can be made at a time, but also because the flavor of the lotus leaf remains in the rice after steaming. Other common filling ingredients include barbecued pork, sausage, shrimp, and salted egg yolks.
The dish is very popular in Guangzhou, and is increasingly served in restaurants throughout the city – it is even becoming popular in places such as Hong Kong and other parts of mainland.