Fragrant Lotus Leaf Rice
How to Make Nutritious Lotus Leaf Rice, Perfect for Gifts
Discover the art of making nutritious sticky rice wrapped in fragrant lotus leaves, infusing each grain with a subtle, earthy aroma. This recipe simplifies the process using an electric rice cooker, resulting in a hearty and satisfying sticky rice dish. It’s an excellent choice for a thoughtful food gift, especially during Chuseok.
Main Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups glutinous rice
- 2 1/4 cups short-grain white rice
- 4 1/2 cups water
- 2 cups beans (e.g., soybeans, peas, your preference)
- 1/2 tbsp salt
- 4 lotus leaves (dried or fresh)
Fillings and Garnish
- 12-20 chestnuts (peeled and pitted)
- 24 ginkgo nuts (blanched and shelled)
- 1/2 small pumpkin (seeds removed, peeled, and diced)
- A pinch of pine nuts
- A pinch of jujubes (pitted and sliced decoratively)
- Assorted nuts (walnuts, almonds, etc.) as desired
- 12-20 chestnuts (peeled and pitted)
- 24 ginkgo nuts (blanched and shelled)
- 1/2 small pumpkin (seeds removed, peeled, and diced)
- A pinch of pine nuts
- A pinch of jujubes (pitted and sliced decoratively)
- Assorted nuts (walnuts, almonds, etc.) as desired
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, prepare the lotus leaves. If using dried lotus leaves, soak them in lukewarm water for about 10 minutes until pliable, then rinse them thoroughly. If using fresh lotus leaves, wash them under running water and cut them into three equal pieces large enough to wrap the rice. Trimming the tougher stems will make them easier to handle.
Step 2
Let’s start by washing the rice. Combine the glutinous rice and short-grain white rice in a bowl. Gently swirl with your fingers and rinse 2-3 times until the water runs clear. Drain the washed rice well. Place the drained rice and the soaked beans into the inner pot of your rice cooker. Add 4 and 1/2 cups of water (a 1:1 ratio with the total amount of rice). Dissolve 1/2 tablespoon of salt in the water. (Taste and adjust saltiness to your preference.)
Step 3
Now, it’s time to cook the sticky rice using the rice cooker. Place the inner pot with the rice, water, and salt into the rice cooker and select the ‘Multi-grain’ or ‘Mixed Rice’ setting. If your cooker doesn’t have this option, a standard cooking mode will also work. While the rice is cooking, you can prepare the other ingredients to save time.
Step 4
While the rice is cooking, prepare the fillings and garnish that will add flavor to your lotus leaf rice. For the chestnuts, peel them, remove the pits, and steam them lightly until tender and sweet. Blanch the ginkgo nuts in boiling water, then remove their shells. For the pumpkin, remove the seeds, peel it, and dice it into approximately 1cm cubes. Pit the jujubes and slice them decoratively. Prepare pine nuts and any other nuts you wish to use.
Step 5
Once the rice is cooked, before removing it from the cooker, evenly spread the prepared chestnuts, ginkgo nuts, diced pumpkin, jujubes, pine nuts, and other assorted nuts over the hot rice. Gently mix these ingredients into the warm rice; this allows their flavors to meld beautifully. Spoon about 1/4 of the seasoned sticky rice onto each prepared lotus leaf. Carefully fold the lotus leaf to fully enclose the rice, like wrapping a gift with care.
Step 6
After wrapping the rice completely with the lotus leaves, secure the edges with toothpicks to prevent the leaves from unfolding during the steaming process. This helps maintain the neat shape of the lotus leaf packets.
Step 7
Finally, place the wrapped lotus leaf rice parcels into a steamer with boiling water. Cover the steamer and steam for about 20 minutes. Steaming for 20 minutes will result in chewy rice and tender fillings, beautifully infused with the delicate aroma of the lotus leaf. Serve warm to enjoy the full fragrance and chewy texture of the rice.
