Lo Mai Gai (Lotus Wrapped Sticky Rice)
I have one last bundle of lo mai gai in my freezer and I’m quite sad about it. Because it means I only have more morning left before I no longer have lo mai gai readily available. Oh well, I’ll have to make more!
Lo Mai Gai is sticky rice wrapped in a lotus leaf and the rice is stuffed with a savory center consisting of an egg yolk, chicken, Chinese sausage, and shiitake mushrooms. It’s one of my favorite things to order at dim sum. This is one of the many steamers that my Goong Goong and I always had a tradition of splitting. The aroma of the earthy lotus leaf as it steams is so characteristic to this dish and the overall eating experience. Unwrapping lo mai gai feels like opening a carby Christmas present. You can find dried lotus leaves at your local Asian market, sometimes it is tucked away so you really have to look or just ask someone for help and they will be impressed that you’re making lo mai gai at home.
The most difficult part of preparing lo mai gai is really the prep work. The lotus leaves need at least 8 hours to soak and soft in order to be pliable to wrap. The fillings needs some attention too, like curing the egg yolks (or you can get store-bought salted egg yolks) and cooking the chicken (the gai of lo mai gai). But once you have everything ready, the assembly process is quite easy.
Homemade lo mai gai fills your home with the scents of a classic dim sum hall and tastes amazing too. The leaves impart their flavor into the chewy sticky rice and each bite is the perfect balance of textures and flavors. Make this for your next Dim Sumday!
Lo Mai Gai
makes 4 big bundles
4 dried lotus leaves
4 egg yolks
1/2 cup soy sauce
6 dried shiitake mushrooms
2 Chinese sausage, cut on a bias
2 cups sticky rice
2 cups water
3 green onions, chopped
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp white pepper
chicken:
1/2 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs, thinly sliced
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp spicy broad bean paste (doubanjiang) or sriracha
1 tsp sesame oil
1/2 tsp coarse salt
1/4 tsp white pepper
1 tbsp olive oil
Day 1:
Soak the lotus leaves: Trim the stem end of the lotus leaves off and then cut in half to form 2 large triangle pieces (the leaf will still be folded). Place the leaves in a large bowl and cover with cold water. Place a heavy plate on top to weigh the leaves down. Soak the leaves until they are pliable, at least 8 hours or overnight (if soaking over 8 hours, change out the water at the 8 hour mark).
Place egg yolks in a small bowl. Add enough soy sauce until the yolks float and cover the bowl with a lid or plastic wrap. Chill the bowl in the fridge for at least 8 hours (they can soak for up to 5 days).
Day 2:
In a medium bowl, soak the mushrooms in warm water until soft and hydrated, at least 45 minutes. Squeeze out excess moisture from the mushrooms and trim off the steam and cut the cap into 1/4” slices.
In a medium bowl, mix to combine chicken, soy sauce, brown sugar, doubanjiang, sesame oil, salt, and white pepper. Allow the chicken to marinate for at least 15 minutes. Heat oil in a pan over medium high heat. Add the chicken and sear until browned on all sides, tossing occasionally, 6 to 7 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a bowl and let it cool.
Prepare the rice: Rinse the rice under cold water at least twice in a medium saucepan. Strain out the water and add 2 cups of fresh water. Bring the water to a simmer and then reduce the heat to medium-low to maintain a gentle simmer. Cover with a lid and allow the rice to steam for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave the lid on for an additional 5 minutes for the rice to finish cooking. Fluff the rice with a spoon and allow it to cool until it is just warm. Add green onions, soy sauce, salt, and white pepper and mix to combine.
Assemble the lo mai gai: Unfold two pieces of lotus leaf, with the dark side of the leaf facing up. Place a heaping cup of rice in the center of the leaves, creating a square that’s about 5x5”. Place some chicken, chinese sausage, mushrooms, and an egg yolk on top of the rice. Cover the fillings with about 1/2 cup of sticky rice. Fold the left side of the leaves over the filling, fold the right side of the leaves over the filling, tucking tightly. Then fold the bottom and top of the leaves over the filling, creating a tight square bundle. Repeat with the 3 remaining bundles.
Place 2 bundles in a bamboo steamer. Prepare your steamer setup and bring the water to a boil. Steam the lo mai gai for 25 minutes. Allow them to cool for a few minutes, unwrap the bundles and enjoy.
Freezing notes: These freeze great! After you wrap the bundles (before steaming) wrap the lo mai gai in plastic wrap and then store in a ziplock bag. Keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. To reheat, steam from frozen for 1 hour or defrost and steam for 35 minutes.