Lo Mai Gai (糯米鸡) - How to Make Chicken Sticky Rice Wrapped in Lotus Leaf!

It's no surprise that Asian people's comfort foods include some sort of rice component. Sticky rice is especially comforting for its soft, tender, sweet, and slightly gooey texture that makes it unique from other cousins. It may be used in your favorite Japanese maki (rolls), Thai mango and sticky rice, or Chinese dim sum dishes like Lo Mai Gai. The latter is what I am most familiar with growing up in a Chinese American household. But to be more accurate, I actually had more of the zongzhi (aka Chinese tamale) growing up whenever Paw Paw (aka grandma) made some for a special occasion. I guess you can say both are very similar with exception to the different meats, different leaves, and methods of cooking. Lo Mai Gai uses marinated dark meat chicken instead of pork belly in the zongzhi. Lotus leaves are also traditional for a more fragrant and aromatic experience that is very pronounced during and after steaming. My Paw Paw's zongzhi were usually wrapped in banana leaves and boiled for much longer, thereby creating a congealed rice texture that is much more dense if you ask me. Either way, you're in a for a hearty and comforting meal that's sure to warm you up.

Makes 6 large servings.

Sticky Rice Marinade:
2 cups sticky rice, soaked OVERNIGHT is cold water then drained
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 to 1 tablespoon oyster sauce (to your liking and saltiness)
1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

Combine rice with seasonings and set aside. Also prepare the lotus leaves by soaking in room temperature water for at least a few hours or overnight. Once done, prepare the chicken.

Chicken Marinade:
1-3/4 lbs. skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into small chunks
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon grated ginger
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 teaspoon Chinese five spice
2 tablespoons cornstarch

Mix all ingredients together until the chicken is thoroughly coated. Marinate for at least a few hours, or up to overnight.

For the remaining filling ingredients:
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon minced ginger
1 cup dried shiitake mushrooms, rehydrated in boiling water until soft then thinly sliced
2-3 Chinese sausage, sliced into thin coins
2-4 tablespoons of dried, preserved shrimp
1/2 cup dry roasted peanuts (I prefer them whole or you can chop)
3-4 scallions, thinly sliced

Cooking:
Once all ingredients are prepped and chicken is ready to be cooked, heat a couple tablespoons of oil in a large pan placed over high heat. Fry sausage until just golden. Add mushrooms and cook until they are also lightly brown. Lower heat to medium and add ginger and garlic. Cook until fragrant. Next add the chicken in a single layer. Brown chicken on all sides until mostly cooked through and thoroughly caramelized. Turn off the heat and add seasoned rice, dried shrimp, peanuts, and scallions. Mix until combined and begin filling the lotus leaves.

Shake off excess water from the soaked lotus leaves. Place about 1 cup of filling in the center of the leaf. Fold the top half down and the pointed bottom end up over the top. Fold the two open ends underneath itself to enclose the package. Optionally, tie the lo mai gai using kitchen twine. Steam for 30 minutes or until sticky rice is cooked through. Enjoy fresh and hot!

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