Lo Mai Gai (Sticky Rice in Lotus Leaf)

Directions

1. Drain soaked rice. First, cook the sticky rice. The easiest way to do this is in a rice cooker on the white rice setting with 1½ cup water. Let the cooked rice sit for 15 minutes. Season with sweetened soy sauce and salt, folding carefully with a spatula to combine and not breaking up the rice too much. Set aside.
2. Marinate the diced chicken with soy sauce, white pepper, oyster sauce, Shaoxing wine, and ginger, working and squeezing the aromatics into the meat. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
3. Make the filling: In a small bowl, whisk together oyster sauce, light soy sauce, salt, sugar, and water until salt and sugar dissolve. Over high heat, add 1 tablespoon oil to a wok or 10” cast-iron skillet. When the wok is smoking slightly, add the pork belly. Stir-fry until it begins to brown and the fat begins to render out, 3–4 minutes. Add shallots, ginger, sliced mushrooms, dried shrimp, and half the Chinese sausage. Cook until aromatic, 1-2 minutes. Push pork mixture to one side of the wok. Add chicken and marinade to the other side of the wok or skillet and cook until browned, 3-4 minutes. Add the seasoning sauce and cook until chicken is barely tender, about 2 minutes. Thicken with potato starch slurry until the sauce clings to the meat, about 30 seconds. Set aside.
4. Prepare the lotus leaves after they’re soaked by cutting off the stiff end and cutting each lotus leaf into 4 equal pieces. In a clean sink, pour boiling water over them to quickly “blanch” and wilt the leaves.
5. To wrap, place two triangles of leaves together with the wider ends of the triangle overlapping vertically; pat dry with a paper towel. Place ¼ cup of rice in the center of the leaves in a small rectangle. Spoon 2 tablespoons of filling into the center. Add 1 slice of Chinese sausage and ½ mushroom. Cover with another layer of sticky rice, about ¼ cup. Wrap by bringing the sides together tightly and rolling.
6. Arrange the lo mai gai in single layers in a bamboo steamer. Steam the wrapped lo mai gai for 20 minutes and serve warm, optionally with grated salted egg yolk and scallions.