Day 211 - Sticky Rice Parcels

Ingredients

• 400 g (2 cups) glutinous rice, soaked for 1 hour
• 1 tbsp peanut oil
• 2.5 cm piece ginger, finely shredded
• 1 tbsp dried shrimp (see Note), soaked in hot water for 20 minutes, drained
• 2 (400 g) chicken thigh fillets, chopped
• 2 (60 g) dried Chinese pork sausages or rindless shortcut bacon rashers, sliced
• 1 tbsp Chinese rice wine  or dry sherry
• 4 large dried black mushrooms (see Note), soaked in hot water for 20 minutes, drained, sliced
• 4 spring onions, sliced, plus extra, to serve
• 2 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp caster sugar
• 4 dried lotus leaves, trimmed, soaked in hot water for 20 minutes, drained
• chilli oil, to serve

Spring onion vinegar

• 2 tbsp malt vinegar
• 60 ml (¼ cup) rice wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp light soy sauce
• ½ tsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp caster sugar
• 1 cm piece ginger, finely shredded
• 2 spring onions, finely shredded

To make spring onion vinegar, place vinegars, soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar and ginger in a bowl, stirring to dissolve sugar. Add spring onions and set aside.
Line a large steamer with baking paper. Drain rice, then spread evenly over the top and steam for 40 minutes or until translucent. Set aside.
Heat peanut oil in a wok over high heat. Add ginger, shrimp, chicken and sausages, and cook for 4 minutes or until meat is cooked through. Add Chinese rice wine and mushrooms, and cook for a further minute or until wine has evaporated.
Add rice, spring onions, soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar and season with salt and white pepper. Mix well to combine and cook for a further minute. Remove from heat.
Pat lotus leaves dry with paper towel. Divide rice mixture among lotus leaves, then fold in sides (not too tightly), fold up edges and roll up, securing with kitchen string. Place rice parcels in a large bamboo steamer set over a saucepan of gently simmering water and steam for 20 minutes or until soft to the touch.
Serve glutinous rice parcels with spring onion vinegar, chilli oil and extra spring onions.

Note
• Dried shrimp, dried anchovies (ikan bilis), frozen shredded coconut and Asian red eschalots are available from Asian food shops.
• Dried Chinese pork sausages (lap cheong) and dried black mushrooms are available from Asian food shops and the Asian section of select supermarkets.
• Chinese rice wine (Shaoxing) is available from select supermarkets and Asian food shops.
• Dried lotus leaves are from Asian food shops and select florists (use unsprayed leaves). Substitute baking paper.