Lotus Leaf Rice 荷叶饭

Lotus leaf rice. This can also be cooked without the lotus leaf. Just wrap the rice with baking paper and aluminum foil before steaming. Soak 1 rice cup of glutinous rice, 12 dried scallops and 4 dried mushrooms separately in water for 2 hours. Wash and brush 1 lotus leaf. Boil a wok of water and cook the leaf in the water for a few minutes until it’s softened. Remove the leaf from the water and place it over a large bowl. Strain and keep the soaking water for the mushrooms and dried scallops. Measure 220ml of the soaking water and set aside. Top up with stock or water if the soaking water is not enough. Mince 3 garlics and 3 shallots. Slice the soaked mushrooms thinly. Rinse a handful of dried shrimps. Rinse 1 Chinese sausage and 1 duck liver sausage in water so it will be easier to peel off the skin. Cut in halves first and peel off the skin. Then slice the sausages thinly. Heat up some oil in a wok. Add the minced garlic, shallots, rehydrated dried shrimps and dried scallops. Fry until fragrant. Add the dehydrated sliced mushrooms and the sliced sausages. Fry for about a minute. Add the soaked rice and fry for about a minute. Add 220ml of water or stock. Stir and bring it to a boil. Season with 1 tsp light soy sauce, 1 tsp dark soy sauce, 1 tsp hua tiao wine and 1 tsp sesame oil. Stir and mix well. Sprinkle with some Sarawak white pepper or normal white pepper. Continue to stir until the water is absorbed. Off the heat. Transfer the rice onto the leaf and wrap. Heat up a steamer. Then steam the rice over medium to high heat for 20 minutes. Once steamed, unwrap the lotus leaf. Garnish with some finely chopped spring onion and crispy fried shallots.