Sticky Rice In Lotus Leaf Food

STICKY RICE WRAPPED IN LOTUS LEAVES

Steps:

• Place 1 cup rice in a pan with 2 cups water (1 to 2 ratio), then bring to a boil, reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes. In a large bowl or in a clean sink, soak the lotus leaves for 20 minutes in enough hot water to cover, and then drain and set aside. In a small bowl, soak the dried shrimp for 20 minutes in enough hot water to cover, and then drain, finely chop and set aside. In another small bowl, soak the dried mushrooms for 20 minutes in enough hot water to cover, and then drain, finely chop and set aside.
• Heat a wok over high heat until the wok begins to smoke, and then add the peanut oil. Add the ginger, shallots, chopped shrimp and chopped mushrooms, and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add the ground pork and stir-fry to break up. When the pork begins to brown, stir in the 5-spice and rice wine. When the wine has almost evaporated, stir in the rice. Once the rice is incorporated, season with the light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, sesame oil, salt, white pepper and mix well. Remove from the heat.
• Remove lotus leaves from soaking water (if you haven't already), open and pat dry with paper towels. Spoon half of the sticky rice mixture into the center of 1 lotus leaf. Fold in the sides (snug, but not tight), fold up the bottom and roll up. Secure with butcher's twine. Repeat with the remaining lotus leaf and rice. Place in a bamboo steamer and steam for 8 to 10 minutes to infuse with fragrance. Remove from the steamer and unwrap the parcels. Serve garnished with the sliced scallions.

STICKY RICE IN LOTUS LEAF

Steps:

• Wash the rice several times until the water runs clear.
• Transfer the rice to a heavy pot or electric rice cooker and add the equal amount of water.
• Simmer over low heat allowing the rice to steam for 15 minutes more with the cover on at all times.
• Add sugar, salt, oyster sauce and soy salt to the rice and mix thoroughly.
• Soak lotus leaves thoroughly in boiling water, wash them and spread them out on a table.
• Mix all the stuffing ingredients together in a bowl.
• Spread one thin layer of cooked sticky rice on each lotus leaf then add stuffing on top of rice in the centre.
• Cover with another thin layer of sticky rice.
• Fold the lotus leaves inwards and wrap well.
• Steam them in the steamer over high heat for 10 minutes.

SMOKED-OYSTER STICKY RICE STUFFING IN LOTUS LEAF

Steps:

• Cover rice generously with cold water in a large bowl and soak at least 2 hours and up to 12 hours. Drain in a medium-mesh sieve and rinse well under cold running water.
• Soak mushrooms in boiling-hot water (2 cups) in a medium bowl, turning mushrooms over occasionally, until softened, about 1 hour. Lift out mushrooms, squeezing excess liquid back into bowl. Cut out and discard stems, then thinly slice caps. Reserve 1 cup mushroom-soaking liquid and discard remainder.
• Chop scallions, keeping pale green and white parts separate from dark green parts. Quarter sausages lengthwise, then cut into 1/2-inch pieces.
• Stir together reserved mushroom-soaking liquid, rice wine, soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a bowl until sugar has dissolved.
• Fill sink with hot water and soak 2 or 3 lotus leaves (if using) until softened, about 15 minutes. Pat lotus leaves dry. Choose best leaf (some leaves may be blemished or damaged), discarding remainder. Cut out center stem and arrange leaf in pie plate (there will be a lot of overhang), overlapping leaf slightly to cover gap in center.
• Heat wok over high heat until a drop of water evaporates instantly. Pour peanut oil down side of wok, then swirl oil, tilting wok to coat side. Add pale-green and white parts of scallion, pine nuts, and ginger and stir-fry until pine nuts are golden, about 1 minute. Add sausage and mushrooms and stir-fry until mushrooms are golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Add oysters and stir-fry 1 minute. Add rice and stir-fry 2 minutes. Add liquid mixture and bring to a boil, then cook, stirring gently, until liquid has been absorbed, about 2 minutes. Transfer rice mixture to pie plate (with or without lotus-leaf-lining) and smooth top. Fold over sides of leaf (if using) to cover, then secure with skewers.
• Set a steamer rack inside cleaned wok and add enough water to reach just below steamer rack, then bring to a boil. Steam stuffing in pie plate on rack, covered with lid, 45 minutes (replenish water as necessary). Remove wok from heat and let stand, covered, 10 minutes, then carefully remove pie plate from steamer with oven mitts. Remove skewer and open leaf, then stir in scallion greens. Fold leaf over to keep warm.