Glutinous rice in Lotus Leaves!

I've been dying to try this out for absolute ages - even before my last exam and before my Sydney trip! Yay finally I managed to find some time (at the expense of my tax assignment... hmmm hmmm :P) on Sunday afternoon and made it!

Check it out!

1. You can purchase these dried lotus leaves from Asian grocery shops - soak them in hot water for an hour till it is soft.
   

2. Most recipes will ask you to soak the glutinous rice in water overnight and then steam it for about 30mins - My mum taught me a quick way of just microwaving it for about 20mins (I used about 3 cups of rice for this recipe) - just place enough water to cover it about 1-1.5 inches above the surface of the rice. I think it's better to have less water than more, as you can always add in more later! :)

Place the rice in a steam-proof container and steam for about 30mins.

3. Ingredients are chinese mushrooms, shrimp, chinese sausage (see below) and chicken breast. Soak ingredients, other than the chicken in hot water for about 30mins. Up to you how much ingredients you would like to use :)

Marinate the sliced chicken fillet with a bit of sesame oil and soya sauce.

4. Thinly slice the chinese sausage.

5. Simmer the ingredients. Heat the pan with oil, and fry the chicken till slightly brown. Place the chopped garlic, chinese mushrooms, chinese sausages and shrimp once chicken is fairly cooked and fry for a few mins. I like the filling to be brown, so I threw in some dark soya sauce and oyster sauce. Make it as tasty or as not tasty as you like! :) Oh yeah, and throw in some spring onions as well!

To make the sauce thick, combine some cornflour with cold water and mix it into the cooked ingredients, and simmer for a few mins.

6. The steamed glutinous rice.

7. Place a big tablespoon of rice in the middle of the lotus leave, and put a bit of the ingredients into the centre, and cover it with the glutinous rice. Wrap the 'rice parcel' with the lotus leaves like an envelope.

Steam for about 30mins or so.

8. This is it! :) Yum yum!!! The lotus leaves really do give it a nice fragrance! :)
Eaten best when straight out of the steamer!!! :)