Chinese · Lunch

Lo Mai Gai

Sticky rice packed around chicken, sausage and mushroom in a lotus leaf and steamed until the leaf perfumes the whole parcel.

Not yet ratedThis recipe has no ratings yet 1 hr 25 min hands on plus 4 hr 30 min soaking the glutinous rice and the lotus leaves Serves 6 servings Medium
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Lo Mai Gai — Chinese lunch recipe, served and ready to eat

Photograph credit: Lo mai gai 糯米雞 by koishikawagirl · CC BY 2.0 · Flickr

Method

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  1. Soak the glutinous rice in cold water 4 hours, then drain it well.

  2. Soak the lotus leaves in hot water 30 minutes, until pliable, then rinse and trim out the hard stems.

  3. Marinate the chicken with the soy sauces, oyster sauce, wine, sugar, cornflour and white pepper 20 minutes.

  4. Steam the drained rice in a lined steamer 20 minutes, until just tender.

  5. Turn the hot rice through the oil, soy sauces, sesame oil, salt and mushroom water until evenly coloured.

  6. Stir-fry the chicken with the lap cheong, shiitake and scallops over high heat 5 minutes, until the chicken is sealed.

  7. Lay a lotus leaf flat, spread a layer of rice, spoon filling into the centre, then cover with more rice.

  8. Fold the leaf into a tight parcel and tie with string. Repeat.

  9. Steam the parcels 25 minutes, and open them at the table.

Chef’s Tips

  • Four hours of soaking for the rice, and there is no shortcut.
  • Soak the leaves in hot water or they split.
  • Steam the rice before wrapping as well as after.

Pairing Suggestions

  • Chilli oil
  • Chinese tea
  • The rest of the trolley

Storage & Reheating

Refrigerated for 3 days, or frozen 2 months. Re-steam 20 minutes.

Common questions

How long does Lo Mai Gai take to make?

About 1 hour 25 minutes of hands-on work — 40 minutes of preparation and 45 minutes of cooking — plus 4 hours 30 minutes of soaking the glutinous rice and the lotus leaves, so allow 5 hours 55 minutes from start to finish. The recipe serves 6.

What are the key tips for making Lo Mai Gai?

Four hours of soaking for the rice, and there is no shortcut. Soak the leaves in hot water or they split. Steam the rice before wrapping as well as after.

What should I serve with Lo Mai Gai?

Chilli oil; Chinese tea; The rest of the trolley.

How should Lo Mai Gai be stored?

Refrigerated for 3 days, or frozen 2 months. Re-steam 20 minutes.

Is Lo Mai Gai suitable for a special diet?

This recipe is dairy-free. Those labels are checked against the ingredient list, so a dish is only marked when nothing in it contradicts the claim.

How many calories are in Lo Mai Gai?

About 560 kcal per serving, with 26 g protein, 82 g carbohydrate and 15 g fat. The figures are calculated from the ingredient list and are an estimate.

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.

560Calories
26gProtein
82gCarbs
15gFat
2gFibre
5gSugar
1290mgSodium

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Written and tested by Turab

One person, one kitchen — no test kitchen, no team. How every recipe on this site is checked before it goes up.