Lotus Leaf Rice Recipes

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.

Steps:

• Bring a fry pan or wok to high heat, add 1 tablespoon of oil and stir-fry the vegetables for 2 minutes. Remove the vegetables from the pan and set aside.
• In the same pan, add the remaining oil then stir-fry the rice for 3 minutes, remove and set aside.
• In a large bowl, lay one lotus leaf inside the bowl, followed by the second lotus leaf, putting the rough side of the leaf face-down first.
• Arrange the stir-fried vegetables on top of the lotus leaf in a pattern, if desired and then, spreading them out evenly towards the middle of the leaf.
• Scoop the fried rice into the bowl on top of the arranged vegetables. Fold the edge of the first or inner lotus leaf first, pressing to enclose the rice, then fold the edges of the second or outer leaf, pressing down firmly until flat.
• Bring a steamer full of water to the bowl, and steam the lotus rice in its bowl on high heat for 5 minutes.
• Remove the bowl from the steamer and turn the lotus rice upside down onto a serving plate.
• With a sharp knife, carefully make 2 long cuts on the first layer of lotus leaf from corner to corner, criss-crossing each other, and then fold the 4 sections back. Repeat this process with the other bottom lotus leaf.
• You should be left with 8 triangular sections to the leaf folded back, exposing the rice.
• Garnish with lotus flower and serve with soy sauce and chile dipping sauce.

Steps:

• Wash and steam the rice in a little water for ten minutes.
• Fry the chicken, mushrooms and egg yolk.
• Season with soy, salt and sugar.
• Stir the fried ingredients into rice and take off the heat.
• Wrap the mixture in a lotus leaf (banana leaf in my case) and tie with string.
• Steam over boiling water for 30 minutes Serve hot.

Steps:

• * cut diagonally into 1-inch slices ** soaked in warm water until soft and pliable (about 30 minutes) *** soaked in warm water for 30 minutes.
• The night before, pour boiling water over the lotus leaves and let them soak for 1 hour. Rinse and squeeze them dry. Mix the long-grain and glutinous rice together in a large bowl. Wash the rice under running cold water; gently stir and rub the grains between your fingers to loosen all the excess starch. Continue until the water runs clear. Drain thoroughly. Mix the rice with the chicken stock in a 2-quart saucepan; soak overnight in the refrigerator.
• The next day, set the saucepan of rice uncovered over high heat; bring to a boil. Stir just enough to loosen the rice grains. Reduce the heat to medium-high and boil until the liquid is absorbed, about 8 to 10 minutes. Put the sausages on top of the rice and cover the pan. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 20 minutes. Turn off the.
• heat but do not remove the cover. Let the rice stand for 10 minutes, then, with a wet wooden spoon, transfer it to a large bowl; set aside.
• Squeeze the mushrooms dry. Cut off the stems at the base and discard them; cut the caps in half. Combine the marinade ingredients in a medium bowl. Cut the chicken breast into 3/4-inch chunks and toss it with the marinade. Add the mushrooms and marinate for 20 minutes. Drain and coarsely chop the shrimp.
• In a small bowl combine the soy sauce, sugar, white pepper, and sesame oil; mix into the cooked rice. Add the chicken-mushroom mixture and the shrimp.
• Fold a lotus leaf in half and put it on a cutting board. If the middle stem or edges are tough and hard, trim and discard them. (If the leaves are small, you may need to over- lap halves.) Divide the rice mixture into 8 portions; place one portion in the center of a leaf half. Fold the edges over the rice to make a 4-inch square packet. Tie it with twine. Repeat with the remaining leaves and rice. Arrange the packets in a single layer in a bamboo steaming basket.
• Prepare a wok for steaming. Steam the packets over medium-high heat for 20 minutes. Remove them from the steamer and cut each packet across the top to expose its contents. Serve with small dishes of soy sauce for dipping.
• NOTE: Sweet glutinous rice is also known as "sticky rice" because when it is cooked it becomes sticky. It is used to make poultry stuffing and leaf-wrapped rice packages; it is called sweet rice because it is often used to make sweet dishes. Soak it overnight before cooking for the best results.