Date: 26 Jul 2007 Comments: 1

What is the better way to use up leftover glutinous rice but to steam a tray full of delicious glutinous chicken rice, or what we known as lomaikai? That is exactly what I did to the glutinous rice we had in the fridge last holiday, since mum says its a good idea to make lomaikai and savour them with neighbours.

Ingredients:

• 300g glutinous rice, soak overnight in lightly salted water

• 250g of chicken, cut into edible pieces and season with 1 tbsp of dark soy sauce, 2 tbsp light soy sauce, 1-2 tbsp rice wine and a dash of sesame oil

• 8 to 10 dried Chinese mushrooms soaked and stems removed and cut into equal halves

• 2 chinese sausages, clean and cut into cubes

• 2 or 3 cloves of garlic peeled and minced

• 3 to 4 tbsps of dark soy sauce (not enough add later)

• 1 tbsp light soy sauce

• 2 tsp of sugar

• 2 tsp of sesame oil

• salt and pepper to taste

• 500ml of chicken stock, or plain water

Method:

First thing first. Prepare a round container with a flat base for even steaming.

Heat 2 tbsp of oil, fry the garlic until fragrant. Add in the chinese sausages too.

Add in the chicken and mushroom. Keep stir frying them until they are almost cooked.

Add in the drained rice grain.

Pour the mixture of dark soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, salt and pepper all over the rice and stir fry until throroughly coated. Add in Add in 3/4 of the stock and boil for a few minutes. Prevent the stock from drying up by covering the pan with lid.

Pour chicken and rice mixture into steaming container and steam with high heat for 45 minutes, or until the glutinous rice is soft and sticky enough. Spread more stock over the steam if the mixture is too dry after mixing. Make sure that the rice is thoroughly cooked, and voila!

Freshly steamed homemade lomaikai! Remember to eat with dainty bamboo chopsticks for the right feel. Do remember to eat slowly and chew properly though. Overeating glutinous rice may indigestion if you have a sensitive stomach. Small portions each makes it more delicious and interesting.

All in all, this is a great dish, and to emulate the dim sum shops, the chicken could be cooked separately while the glutinous rice is steamed with the dark soy sauce mixed thoroughly in. Arrange the chicken into a rice bowl and top up the bowl with glutinous rice before putting them upside down on a plate to form a nice, round shaped glutinous rice and chicken – lomaikai.

You might also like:

Lomaikai in a Bowl

Rice based Food in Thailand

Homemade Bachang

Happy Winter Solstice 2007!

Glutinous Rice Balls in Corn Soup