Saturday, November 16, 2013

Steamed Glutinous Rice ('loh mai kai')


This is a delicious recipe for the above mentioned popular dimsum dish. I remember growing up with it over breakfast, lunch, tea and at the school cafeteria...
It's abit of work but i think it's well worth it. and surprisingly much easier to make than anticipated.
(recipe makes approx 4 servings)

Ingredients:

2 pcs chinese sausage 'lapcheong'
1tbsp finely chopped dried shrimps

(A)for filling
8 pcs shitake mushrooms (soaked till soft)
300-400g chicken fillet breast/thigh (sliced; bite size)
2-3 garlic cloves
2tbsp sesame oil
2tbsp light soysauce
1tbsp dark soysauce
3 tbsp oyster sauce
2 tbsp shaoxing/ cooking sherry
2 tsp sugar
2 dashes of pepper

(B)for glutinous rice
450g glutinous rice
water for soaking
1.5 cup of water
1 tbsp sesame oil
2tsp light soysauce
1tsp dark soysauce
2 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp chicken stock
1-2 tsp chinese five spice powder
2 tsp sugar
a dash of pepper

Directions:

Preparations for the night before :

  • mix all ingredients for filling and refrigerate overnight.
  • soak glutinous rice overnight with water just enough to cover about 1cm above rice. 
  1. Drained water from soaked rice then add 1.5 cups of water with all other ingredients (B).
  2. Steam rice for about 20-25 minutes then fluff rice with a fork:
  3. Place 2 pcs of chinese sausage on the rice and continue steaming for another 20-30 minutes (or until rice is fully cooked). then slice sausage and leave rice aside to cool.
  4. Meanwhile, heat 1 tbsp of oil i a pan and fry dried shrimps until fragrant. Then add in marinated fillings and stir fry. Set filling aside.
  5. To put dish together, prepare a small serving size bowl (since i did not have a stainless steel bowl i simply coated the bowl with aluminium foil) brush its inside with a little oil. Put together the fillings and sausage (approx 2 tbsps). Then add rice, followed by more fillings in between. I like this dish with more fillings than rice :)
  6. To serve, i simply tilt the bowl over a plate and add some garlic chili sauce.



Prep time : (+overnight) and 1.5 hours
Difficulty level : Medium