Savory Chicken And Rice In A Lotus Leaf (china) Recipe

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Directions

* cut diagonally into 1-inch slices ** soaked in warm water until soft and
pliable (about 30 minutes) *** soaked in warm water for 30 minutes
Foods wrapped in dried lotus leaves become infused with an exotic earthy
flavor. If lotus leaves are not available, you can wrap the rice filling
in oiled parchment. Besides being an unusual appetizer, this dish can be
served as a snack, for lunch, or as a light meal.
Note that the first step must be done the night before. Because lotus
leaves vary so much in size, eight packets may require anywhere from four
to ten leaves. (Larger leaves can be split in half, smaller leaves may
need to be overlapped.)
1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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.