Lotus Wrapped Rice

Preparation:

1. Soak the sticky rice in water for 2-12 hours. You can do this the previous night. 
2. Rinse the dried lotus leaves, and then soak them in warm water for an hour.
3. Soak the Chinese sausages in hot water for 15 minutes. Once the casings puff up, peel them off and then slice the sausages. 
4. Soak the dried shrimp in hot water for 2-3 minutes. 

Cooking:

1. In a pot, without adding any oil, sauté the Chinese sausages until they brown a little. Set them aside.
2. In the same pot, fry the dried shrimp for 2-3 minutes. Set aside.
3. Add the vegetable oil to the pot. Once the oil has heated, add the garlic.
4. After 10-15 seconds, add the carrots and mushrooms. Sauté for about two minutes.
5. Add the sticky rice and soy sauce. Sauté until everything is well combined. 
6. Pour the chicken broth in, and allow it to come to a boil. 
7. Add the salt and pepper, cover the pot, lower the flame and leave it be for 5 minutes. 
8. Once done, turn off the flame and mix the dried shrimp into the pot. 
9. Dry your lotus leaves and place each in a bowl, pushing them down to the bottom. 
10. In another pot, pour water into half the pot and either place a steamer over it or place a wire rack above the water level. Cover the pot and turn the flame on to medium heat. 

Assembly & Steaming:

1. In each lotus leaf bowl, first place some Chinese sausages. 
2. Next, scoop a generous portion of the rice mixture. Drizzle some sesame oil and then fold the overhang of the lotus leaves over the rice to seal it. 
3. Place these lotus-wrapped rice packages in the steamer or on the wire rack once the pot of water comes to a boil. Steam them on low heat for 25-30 minutes. 
4. Best served inverted onto a plate. Serve these a couple of minutes after taking them off the heat. Cut open the lotus leaves and dig in!

Chef Tip: If you enjoy spice, soak some chopped red chilies in soy sauce. It will make for a great sauce to go with your lotus-wrapped rice. 

Leave your guests in awe with this incredible meal. This lotus-wrapped rice recipe is not just a recipe for a delicious meal but a fun experience to cook and to eat! Of course, everyone’s going to be asking you for the recipe - hit the share button to gain plenty of popularity!