Lo Mai Gai 糯米雞 (Chinese Sticky Rice in Lotus Leaf)

Lo Mai Gai 糯米雞 is a classic Chinese dim sum dish featuring steamed glutinous sticky rice with pieces of chicken and various meats wrapped in fragrant lotus leaf.

What is lo mai gai?

Lo mai gai 糯米雞 literally translates to "glutinous rice chicken" in Cantonese.

Glutinous sticky rice is steamed together with various meats such as chicken and pork and wrapped up in lotus leaf as a parcel.

It is commonly served at Chinese dim sum restaurants.

Why this recipe works

Worth the effort! There are many steps in this classic dim sum dish, but each component is well-seasoned, ensuring flavor with every bite.

This recipe yields 8 large servings of lo mai gai.

The perfectly bundled packages of sticky glutinous rice makes for an easy lunch or dinner on-the-go.

Flavorful: Steaming the rice with lap cheong (Chinese sausage) and adding in dried shrimp helps give additional flavor.

Lotus leaves add an earthy and aromatic flavor to the sticky rice.

Soaking the glutinous rice for 1 hour ensures that the rice cooks evenly, without being overly mushy.

What is glutinous rice?

Glutinous rice is also known as sticky rice.

There are two main types of glutinous rice: short grain and long grain glutinous rice, however there are black and purple varieties, aside from regular white glutinous rice.

Short-grained glutinous rice is primarily used in Japanese sushi, such as in onigiri.

Long-grain glutinous rice is used in sweet desserts and savoury dishes, such as Chinese zhongzi (sticky rice dumplings), as well as in lo mai gai.

Glutinous sticky rice requires a period of soaking before cooking.

You can find glutinous rice in Asian supermarkets.

What's the difference between zhongzi and lo mai gai?

Zhongzi or zongzi (sticky rice dumplings) are another Chinese sticky rice dish that is also wrapped.

The main difference is that zhongzi is wrapped with bamboo leaves, whereas lo mai gai is wrapped in lotus leaves.

Special equipment you'll need

• lotus leaves: usually found dried in packages in Asian supermarkets; very fragile and needs to be reconstituted to be pliable
• large steamer/wok: for blanching the lotus leaves; steaming the lo mai gai

What are lotus leaves?

Lotus leaves are large green leaves from the lotus plant.

What do lotus leaves taste like?

You don't actually ingest the leaves.

Lotus leaves impart an earthy tea-like aroma and flavor to foods, especially when steamed.

The lotus leaves can also be enjoyed in tea.

Where can I find lotus leaves?

You can find lotus leaves dried in packages at Asian supermarkets and online, however, they can be difficult to find.

Do not confuse lotus leaves with bamboo leaves which are long and and blade-shaped, used for wrapping zhongzi.

Ingredients you'll need

For wrapping:

• dried lotus leaves: lightly blanched and blotted dry

Glutinous sticky rice:

• long grain glutinous rice: rinsed and drained
• Chinese sausages (lap cheong)
• vegetable oil: for sauteing the dried shrimp
• dried shrimp: rinsed and soaked in water for 20 minutes

Seasonings:

• sea salt
• light soy sauce
• oyster sauce: is a thick, brown rich sauce made from dried oysters
• dark soy sauce
• granulated sugar: balances out the saltiness
• sesame oil: adds an slight aroma and flavor to the meat mixture
• garlic: minced
• shallot: minced
• Shaoxing wine: you can also use dry sherry, or mirin
• water: to create the slurry
• tapioca starch: a white starch that acts as a thickener
• cornstarch: acts as a thickener and gives a little shine to the filling

Fillings:

• Chinese/shiitake mushrooms: soaked, cut into thick slices
• lean ground pork (or sub with siu yuk/char siu), cut into pieces
• chicken breasts: cut into 16 pieces
• salted duck egg yolks: cut into half

You can find these ingredients in Asian grocery stores.

How to make sticky rice wrapped in lotus leaves

Prepare the dried lotus leaves

Fill a wok or large pot with water and bring to a boil.

Turn off heat and add in the dried lotus leaves (8 large leaves) soak for 5 minutes.

Gently rinse lotus leaves under tap water. (Note: lotus leaves are very fragile).

Blot with paper towel.

Trim off the broken edges of the leaves and the stem. Set aside.

Prepare the glutinous sticky rice

To an electric rice cooker, add in the rinsed and drained glutinous rice.

Add enough water (appx 450ml) until it reaches the 4 C marking in the rice cooker.

Let rice sit in the cooker and soak for 1 hour.

Place 2 Chinese sausages (lap cheong) in with the rice.

Cook the rice for 50-60 minutes.

Remove the Chinese sausages (lap cheong) and cut each sausage into into 4 portions, for a total of 8 pieces and set aside.

Heat a wok over medium high heat and add in 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil.

Sauté the dried shrimp until fragrant, a few minutes.

Transfer the cooked shrimp into the rice.

Prepare the rice seasoning sauce

Combine the sea salt, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, and water into a bowl.

Stir and give it a mix. Set aside.

Season the rice

When the rice is cooked, transfer it out to a large bowl.

Pour the seasoning sauce slowly into the rice and mix well, until the rice is moistened to your liking.

Level the rice and divide into 8 equal portions. Set aside.

Cook the fillings

Add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil to a wok heated over high heat and stir fry shallots and garlic until golden.

Add in mushrooms, soy sauce and sugar and stir fry until fragrant.

Next, add in ground pork, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, sugar, and black/white pepper and continue to sauté until cooked.

Add in the chicken, light soy sauce, black pepper, dark soy sauce, granulated sugar, Shaoxing wine, tapioca starch and sesame oil. Continue to saute until chicken is almost cooked through.

In a bowl, combine the slurry ingredients: cornstarch, water, oyster sauce and sesame oil.

Pour the slurry into the meat mixture, and cook for another 2 minutes, until thickened.

Transfer the filling mixture into a bowl.

Assemble the lo mai gai

Place lotus leaves with the vein side facing the exterior.

Lightly grease a bowl with vegetable oil.

Fill ½ a portion of rice in the bowl and flatten with a spatula.

Transfer the rice along with the oil onto the lotus leaf (or lightly brush the leaf with oil).

Make a little indent in the rice and add 1 portion of filling (mushroom, chicken, ground pork, Chinese sausage, salted egg yolk) to the center.

Cover the filling with the remaining ½ portion of rice on top.

Gather the edges of the lotus leaf and wrap the rice into a neat square bundle.

Repeat with the remainder.

Steam

Arrange the lotus leaf bundles into a steamer, filled with water.

Cover with a lid and steam on high heat for 30 minutes.

Unfold the lotus leaves and enjoy the sticky rice while hot.

How to serve & reheat

It's best to serve lo mai gai while it is steaming hot/warm.

The texture of sticky glutinous rice can get hard when it is cool/cold.

Serve the glutinous sticky rice alongside other dim sum dishes such as: ham sui gok (fried glutinous sticky rice dumplings), char siu bao, har gao (shrimp dumplings), siu mai (pork dumplings), fried sesame balls, egg tarts, and a pot of your favourite tea.

You can also enjoy the lo mai gai as a filling meal by itself for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Steam:

To reheat lo mai gai, add hot water to a steaming rack and place the bundles on top.

Cover with a lid and steam for 10-15 minutes, until the rice is soft.

If lo mai gai is frozen, it is optimal to reheat by steaming.

Microwave:

Mist the lotus leaf parcels with a little water, cover with a bowl and microwave for 1-2 minutes, until heated through.

How to store lo mai gai

You can store lo mai gai wrapped in its lotus leaf (in a layer of plastic wrap) in the fridge for up to 1 week.

Freeze lo mai gai in its bundle, well-wrapped in plastic wrap, and place into a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months.

Expert tips & FAQs

Where can I find lotus leaf?

You can find lotus leaf dried in packages in Asian supermarkets.

However, it can be difficult to find.

If you don't have access to lotus leaf, you can use parchment paper and wrap it up into a parcel (tie with kitchen twine/string), or steam the rice mixture in a small bowl.

Alternatively, you can steam the rice mixture in clay pot.

For a vegetarian version:

You can omit the meats and add bean curd, tofu, and use a variety of mushrooms.

Marinating ahead of time:

You can marinate the meats (chicken, ground pork) and mushrooms in the seasonings ahead of time to give additional flavour.

Prefer softer/stickier rice?

If you prefer a softer grain rice, you can increase the amount of water, like making congee.

You can also reserve the mushroom and dried shrimp soaking liquid and add it to the rice for even more flavor.

Other glutinous rice recipes you may like:

Chinese Sticky Rice Dumplings (Zhongzi) Pyramid Shape

Ham Sui Gok 咸水角 (Fried Glutinous Rice Dumplings)

Chinese Fried Sesame Balls (Jian Dui)

Peanut Tang Yuan (Glutinous Rice Balls)

Thai Mango Sticky Rice (Khao Niao Mamuang)

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Print Recipe

5 from 2 votes

Lo Mai Gai 糯米雞 (Chinese Sticky Rice in Lotus Leaf)

Lo Mai Gai 糯米雞 is a classic Chinese dim sum dish featuring steamed glutinous sticky rice with pieces of chicken and various meats wrapped in fragrant lotus leaf.

Prep Time2 hours hrs

Cook Time1 hour hr

Total Time3 hours hrs

Course: Dim Sum, Main Course

Cuisine: Cantonese, Chinese

Servings: 8

Calories: 568kcal

Author: Michelle

For accuracy and precision in baking recipes, use weight (metric) measurements when available.

Ingredients

For wrapping:

• 8 dried lotus leaves

Glutinous sticky rice:

• 600 g (4 rice cups) long grain glutinous rice rinsed and drained
• 2 Chinese sausages (lap cheong)
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• ¼ C 30g dried shrimp rinsed and soaked in water for 20 minutes

Seasoning sauce for the rice:

• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
• 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
• 2 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 250-300 ml water or to your preference

Fillings:

Chinese/shiitake mushrooms:

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil + extra for brushing
• 2 tablespoon garlic minced
• 2 tablespoon shallots minced
• 6 Chinese/shiitake mushrooms soaked and cut into thick slices
• 1 teaspoon light soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar

Ground pork:

• 200 g lean ground pork or sub with siu yuk/char siu, cut into pieces
• 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
• ½ teaspoon dark soy sauce
• ½ teaspoon granulated sugar
• ⅛ teaspoon black pepper or white pepper

Chicken:

• 2 chicken breasts 400g, cut into 16 pieces
• 2 tablespoon light soy sauce
• ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon Shaoxing wine
• ½ teaspoon tapioca starch
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil

Slurry for the meat:

• 3 teaspoon cornstarch
• 6 tablespoon water
• 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil

Salted eggs/duck eggs:

• 4 salted duck egg yolks cut into half

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Prepare the dried lotus leaves:

• Fill a wok or large pot with water and bring to a boil.
• Turn off heat and add in the dried lotus leaves (8 large leaves) soak for 5 minutes.
• Gently rinse lotus leaves under tap water. (Note: lotus leaves are very fragile).
• Blot with paper towel.
• Trim off the broken edges of the leaves and the stem. Set aside.

Prepare the glutinous sticky rice:

• To an electric rice cooker, add in the rinsed and drained glutinous rice.
• Add enough water (appx 450ml) until it reaches the 4 C marking in the rice cooker.
• Let rice sit in the cooker and soak for 1 hour.
• Place 2 Chinese sausages (lap cheong) in with the rice.
• Cook the rice for 50-60 minutes.
• Remove the Chinese sausages (lap cheong) and cut each sausage into into 4 portions, for a total of 8 pieces and set aside.
• Heat a wok over medium high heat and add in 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil.
• Sauté the dried shrimp until fragrant, a few minutes.
• Transfer the cooked shrimp into the rice.

Prepare the rice seasoning sauce:

• Combine the sea salt, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, and water into a bowl.
• Stir and give it a mix. Set aside.

Season the rice:

• When the rice is cooked, transfer it out to a large bowl.
• Pour the seasoning sauce slowly into the rice and mix well, until the rice is moistened to your liking.
• Level the rice and divide into 8 equal portions. Set aside.

Cook the fillings:

• Add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil to a wok heated over high heat and stir fry shallots and garlic until golden.
• Add in mushrooms, soy sauce and sugar and stir fry until fragrant.
• Next, add in ground pork, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, sugar, and black/white pepper and continue to sauté until cooked.
• Add in the chicken, light soy sauce, black pepper, dark soy sauce, granulated sugar, Shaoxing wine, tapioca starch and sesame oil. Continue to saute until chicken is almost cooked through.
• In a bowl, combine the slurry ingredients: cornstarch, water, oyster sauce and sesame oil.
• Pour the slurry into the meat mixture, and cook for another 2 minutes, until thickened.
• Transfer the filling mixture into a bowl.

Assemble the lo mai gai:

• Place lotus leaves with the vein side facing the exterior.
• Lightly grease a bowl with vegetable oil.
• Fill ½ a portion of rice in the bowl and flatten with a spatula.
• Transfer the rice onto the lotus leaf.
• Make a little indent in the rice and add 1 portion of filling (mushroom, chicken, ground pork, Chinese sausage, salted egg yolk) to the center.
• Cover the filling with the remaining ½ portion of rice on top.
• Gather the edges of the lotus leaf and wrap the rice into a neat square bundle.
• Repeat with the remainder.

Steam:

• Arrange the lotus leaf bundles into a steamer, filled with water.
• Cover with a lid and steam on high heat for 30 minutes.
• Unfold the lotus leaves and enjoy the sticky rice while hot.

Nutrition

Calories: 568kcal | Carbohydrates: 67g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 159mg | Sodium: 1430mg | Potassium: 468mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 35IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 58mg | Iron: 3mg

The nutritional information provided should be considered as approximate and is not guaranteed. Please use your best judgment to ensure food is safely prepared and/or a good fit for your diet.

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