Ingredients

The following ingredients have 4 Servings
  • 2 lotus leaves
  • 6 dried shiitake mushrooms
  • 275 g (9¾ oz/1¼ cups) short-grain rice
  • 1 tablespoon peanut oil
  • 250 g (9 oz) chicken thigh fillets, cut into 1.5 cm (⅝ inch) cubes
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 3 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
  • 60 g (2¼ oz/⅓ cup) finely diced water chestnuts
  • 1 tablespoon chinese rice wine
  • 3 tablespoons chicken stock
  • 3 tablespoons light soy sauce
  • 4 spring onions (scallions), thinly sliced
  • 1 teaspoon cornflour (cornstarch)

Instruction

  • <p><strong>1.</strong> Cut each lotus leaf in half, then soak in hot water for 1 hour. Pat dry with paper towels.</p> <p><strong>2.</strong> Soak the shiitake mushrooms in 250 ml (9 fl oz/1 cup) of boiling water for about 20 minutes, then drain, reserving the soaking liquid. Remove the stems and thinly slice the caps.</p> <p><strong>3.</strong> Rinse the rice and put in a saucepan with 375 ml (13 fl oz/1½ cups) of water. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to low and cook, covered, for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and leave, covered, for another 10 minutes.</p> <p><strong>4.</strong> Heat the oil in a wok, add the chicken and cook for 3 minutes, or until browned. Add the garlic, ginger, water chestnuts and sliced mushroom and cook for another 30 seconds. Stir in the rice wine, chicken stock, 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, the spring onion and 3 tablespoons of the shiitake soaking liquid. Mix the cornflour with 1 tablespoon of water, add to the wok and cook until the mixture thickens. Stir in the rice and the remaining soy sauce and mix well.</p> <p><strong>5.</strong> Remove the lotus leaves from the water. Put onequarter of the rice mixture in the centre of each leaf, making a mound about 8 × 6 cm (3¼ × 2½ inches). Fold up the bottom edge, fold in the short sides, then flip the parcel up to completely enclose the filling. Repeat with the remaining mixture and leaves to make four parcels.</p> <p><strong>6.</strong> Put the parcels, seamsidedown, in a large bamboo steamer. Sit the steamer over a wok of simmering water and steam, covered, for 20 minutes. Serve hot.</p>