Lotus Glutinous Rice (Lo Mai Gai)

My kids love the movie Coco that after watching it they've been singing "Remember Me" at any time. They specifically mentioned Nov 2 as the feast of 'Dia de Muertos" a holiday in Mexico celebrating the "Day of the Dead." Although they have no cravings on the mexican tamales, or calavares de azucal nor calabaza en dulce, we have customized the food in commemorating our loved ones -- thru something sticky, savoury, symbolic and cold. Which is why we had glutinous rice, dumpling and mango lemonade. Sticky, colourful deli and delicious. And becuase it was the kids special requests... they have to share the effort.  Paige is the chef and Kai is the moral support this time... So let me share this sticky rice made simple and easy as compared to the real tedious preparations--

Lotus Glutinous Rice
makes 3 parcels

Rice
2 c Glutinous Rice, washed and soaked  in plain water for at least 20-30 mins., then set aside. You do this first before you prepare the rest of the ingredients.

1 tbsp tbsp Oyster Sauce

1 tbsp Light Soy sauce

1/2 tbsp Dark Soya Sauce

1 tbsp Sesame Oil

1 head (single head) or about 1 tbsp chopped garlic

1 tbsp Olive Oil

200 ml water

Chicken Marinade

1 pc boneless chicken breast (about 200g), small cubes sliced

1 pc lean pork (about 200 g), thinly sliced

1/2 tbsp Oyster Sauce

1/2 tbsp Dark  Soya Sauce

 tbsp Shao xing wine (chinese wine)

1 tbsp  Corn Starch

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

***Slice the meat as directed and place in a bowl. Add all the marinade ingredients and marinate the chicken while you continue to prepare the other ingredients.

For Sautéing

2 tbsp Olive oil

I single head Garlic, chopped

1 1/2 tbsp Dried shrimps (if you don't have this it's ok)

1 1/2 tbsp Fried shallots ( if you don't have this its' still ok)

Slices of mushroom ( your preferential amount) if you are using whole shitake mushroom, then 3 pcs of shitake- one pc for each parcel.

>>> Other ingredients that you can add which i didn't as per request of kids not to include these..

3 half inch slices of chinese sausage

3 pcs of whole salted egg yolks

3 cubes of turnips

Wrapping:

3 pcs of lotus leaf (thoroughy washed, and rinsed with warm water), set side

How to do it?--

Place oil in the wok over a medium heat, when hot enough add garlic and stir fry.

Add marinated meat and stir fry.

Add dried shrimps and mushrooms. This time you can add the other ingredients >>.

Stir fry for few minutes.

Remove from heat  and transfer in a bowl and set aside.

In the same wok, without cleaning this up, add the oil.

When hot, add garlic and stir fry until slightly brown.

Then add  glutinous rice and stir.

Add the sauces and lastly add water.

Sauté until the rice absorbed all the water.

When done, remove from heat and set aside.

Assembly:

Divide your cooked glutinous rice into 3 and each part divide into half.

Open 1 pc of lotus leaf, cut if you need to, just make 1 sheet out of it.

Then brush the center of the leaf with oil the, where you will place the rice.

Place 1/6 of cooked glutinous rice on the center of the leaf.

Then top it with 1/3 of the cooked meat.

Then cover it with 1/6 of the cooked glutinous rice.

Fold the right leaf over your rice. Followed by the left leaf.

Then fold the leaf in front of you over the rice and finished it up with folding the back leaf

over the rice towards you....Your finish product is a wrap that looks like a parcel.

Secure with kitchen twine and ready to steam.

Steam for one and a half hour (1 1/2 hr). 

I used the electric steamer for less monitoring.

(You can use the traditional bamboo steamer to make it authentic)

Serve steaming hot with caution.