Lor Mai Kai

Pork-free Lor Mai Kai (Pork-free Steamed Glutinous Rice with Chicken)

400g glutinous rice, rinsed, soaked overnight and drained

600g chicken, chopped into bite-sized pieces

25g dried Chinese mushrooms, soaked and quartered

3 shallots, sliced

3-4 tbsp oil

Marinade (A)

2 tbsp oyster sauce

1 tbsp light soy sauce

¾ tsp thick soy sauce

1 tbsp ginger juice

1 tsp sesame oil

¾ tsp sugar

¼ tsp pepper

1 tsp cornflour

Seasoning (B)

1 tsp salt

¾ tsp thick soy sauce

1 tsp Chinese five spice powder

350-400ml water

Season chicken and mushrooms with marinade (A) for more than 30 minutes. Steam glutinous rice in a steamer for 40 minutes. Remove and set aside.

Heat oil in a wok and brown shallots or until fragrant. Add the pre-steamed glutinous rice and seasoning (B). Stir-fry well then pour in water to mix. Cover the wok and cook for 5-10 minutes. Dish out and leave aside.

In the meantime, lightly grease 5-6 small rice bowls. Place some marinated chicken and mushrooms in the bottom of each bowl. Fill with glutinous rice. Press down with the back of a rice ladle to fill up to three-quarters of the rice bowl.

Arrange on a steamer and steam lor mai kai over rapid boiling water for 40-45 minutes. Remove and serve immediately.

Glutinous Rice Balls

Lor Mai Chi(Glutinous Rice Balls)

200g glutinous rice flour

200g rice flour

350ml water or just enough

½ cup cooked glutinous rice flour (koh fun) for dusting

Filling (combined)

100g roasted peanuts, finely pounded

100g castor sugar

70g toasted sesame seeds

Combine glutinous rice flour and rice flour in a mixing bowl. Gradually pour in water to mix into a soft dough. Divide dough into small balls. Flatten each ball to make a hollow in the centre. Add a tablespoon of filling and wrap up to enclose the filling.

Drop the prepared balls of dough into a pot of boiling water. Cook until the balls float to the surface. Remove and drain well. Toss the balls of dough in cooked glutinous rice flour and serve.

Glutinous Rice Balls with Black Sesame Seed Filling

Original recipe by Amy Beh

Syrup

5g white fungus, soaked, trimmed and cut into small florets

6 Chinese red dates, pitted

2 slices mature ginger

150g rock sugar

1.5 litres water

4 screwpine leaves, knotted

Dough

200g glutinous rice flour

1 tbsp wheat starch (tang mein fun)

100ml freshly boiled water

About 100ml cold water

Black sesame seed filling

100g black sesame seeds

45g butter

55g soft brown sugar

TO make the syrup, combine water, ginger, rock sugar, screwpine leaves and white fungus in a deep pot. Bring to the boil then turn down the heat and simmer for 40 to 45 minutes. Halfway through, add the red dates.

To prepare the filling, rinse black sesame seeds in clean water. Drain and toast in a clean, dry wok over medium-low heat until the seeds start to pop. Turn off the heat and dish out to cool. Grind the black sesame seeds in a food processor until fine. Remove and combine with sugar and butter.

To prepare the dough, mix glutinous rice flour, wheat starch and boiling water. Mix well with a small rolling pin. Add enough cold water to mix to a soft dough.

Pinch off a small portion of dough, roll into a thin disk and wrap around ½ teaspoon of filling. Repeat with the rest of the dough.

Drop the balls of dough into a pot of boiling water. When they start to float, remove with a slotted spoon and immerse them in ice-cold water.

To serve, dish out a bowl of white fungus ginger syrup and add three or four glutinous rice balls. Serve immediately.