Lotus Leaf Rice Recipe

Lotus Leaf Rice is dim sum's fragrant parcel: sticky rice, chicken, mushrooms and sausage steamed inside a lotus leaf until the rice absorbs the leaf's gentle, tea-like aroma. Unwrapping it at the table is half the pleasure.

Prep time

30 mins

Cook time

45 mins

Total time

75 mins

Servings

4 servings

Calories

580

Ingredients

• 2 cups glutinous rice, soaked overnight
• 2 dried lotus leaves
• 200 g chicken thigh, diced
• 4 dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked and sliced
• 1 Chinese sausage, sliced
• 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
• 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 spring onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1/2 teaspoon five-spice powder

Instructions

1. Drain the soaked rice and steam it for 20 minutes until just tender, then set aside.
2. Soak the lotus leaves in hot water for 15 minutes until soft, then pat dry and cut each in half.
3. Heat the oil and stir-fry the chicken until lightly browned, then add the mushrooms and sausage.
4. Stir in the soy sauce, oyster sauce, Shaoxing wine, sugar, sesame oil and five-spice, and cook for 3 minutes.
5. Mix the chicken mixture and spring onion through the steamed rice.
6. Place a portion of rice in the centre of each lotus leaf half, fold the leaf over to seal a neat parcel and place seam-side down in a steamer.
7. Steam over high heat for 25 minutes, then serve the parcels unopened so everyone unwraps their own.

Pro tips

• Soaking the glutinous rice overnight is essential for an even, tender texture.
• Do not overfill the parcels, or the leaves will tear during steaming.
• Dried lotus leaves are sold in Chinese grocery stores; rinse them well before soaking.
• Leftover parcels reheat beautifully with 10 minutes of steaming.

Frequently asked questions