This is a Cantonese snack, usually available throughout the day. In Asia, this is also a common breakfast item or mid-day snack. Loh Mai means glutinous rice in Cantonese and kai means chicken.
One could also use lotus leave to wrap the parcel if the leaves are available.
Ingredients (makes 6 servings):
3 cups glutinous rice, rinsed and soaked for at least 5 hours (better if left overnight as it reduces cooking time)
300gm boned chicken thigh, sliced
10 dried shiitake mushroom, soaked
1 Chinese sausage, sliced2 salted egg yolks, sliced
Part A – Aromatics to be added to the chicken, mushroom and chinese sausage
2 cm ginger, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp shaoxing wine (chinese cooking wine)
1 tbsp oyster sauce
½ tsp salt
1 tbsp corn starch (optional – I noticed that the corn starch works better if you are using chicken breast)Part B – Aromatics to be added to the glutinous rice
2 tbsp cooking oil
2 bulbs shallot, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp dark soy sauce
1 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp oyster sauce
½ tsp salt (or to taste)
½ tbsp sesame oil
½ tsp ground white pepper
Pinch of 5-spices powder
1 cup waterMethods:
- Marinate chicken and shiitake mushroom with ingredients in Part A for at least one hour (I left it overnight since I left the rice soaking overnight).
- Heat oil in wok, sauté garlic and shallot until fragrant. Stir in glutinous rice and ingredients in Part B. Stir until rice is evenly coated with the sauce.
- Add in water and cook until all water is absorbed. Remove from heat.
- In each steaming bowl, place 2-3 slices of Chinese sausage follow by 2-3 pieces chicken, a sliver of salted egg yolk and a whole mushroom. Next, fill in the glutinous rice until three quarter full.
- Preheat a steamer then place bowls into the steam for up to 30 minutes or until the rice is cooked.
- Once done, keep the lid on for another 10 minutes to prevent surfaces from drying out.
- Run a spatula or butter knife around the bowl then invert it onto a plate to serve.
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