5 dried lotus leaves, cut in half or use banana leaves or aluminum foil
1 1/2 cups short-grain rice, washed and drained
4 Chinese dried mushrooms, soaked in hot water for 15 minutes to reconstitute, drained, stems removed and chopped
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 teaspoons peeled and grated fresh ginger
6 1/2 ounces ground (minced) chicken
4 ounces jumbo shrimp (green king prawns)
peeled, deveined, and finely chopped
2 Chinese pork sausages, finely chopped
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice wine
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
2 teaspoons cornstarch (corn flour) mixed with 1 tablespoon water
First, prepare the lotus leaves. They need to be soaked in hot water for about 15 - 20 minutes, and then patted dry. Next, line a bamboo steamer with a few pieces of cabbage or a parchment paper so that the food will not stick to the bottom. Add the rice and cover.
To steam, fill the wok approximately to the half-way point with water (the steamer should be sitting above the water without touching). Bring the water to a boil and steam the rice.
After the rice has cooled, divide it into ten equal portions.
Heat wok and add oil. When the oil is ready, add the ginger and stir-fry briefly, then add chicken and shrimp, stir-frying until they change color. Add, in the following order, Chinese sausages, mushrooms, soy sauce, rice wine, and oyster sauce and stir-fry briefly.
Give the cornstarch mixture a quick restir. Make a "well" in the middle of the wok and add the cornstarch mixture, stirring to thicken. Mix with the other ingredients, and then remove from the wok and set aside.
Once the meat and vegetable mixture has cooled you can make the wraps. Begin by spooning a portion of the rice mixture into the center of a lotus leaf. Add approximately 3 teaspoons of the meat and vegetable mixture, placing it in the middle and forming a "rice ring" around it. Fold the lotus leaf over the rice to form a package and tie with the twine.
Reheat the wok with water for steaming and steam the wraps, a few at a time, for 15 minutes. (Add more boiling water to the wok as required). To serve, cut open the wraps.
Posted: 9/17/2009 9:44:49 AM