Lo Mai Gai (Lotus Leaf Wrap) Recipe

Lotus Leaf Wraps (Lo Mai Gai)

The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi

Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 80 mins
Total: 95 mins
Servings: 8 servings

Lo Mai Gai (lotus leaf wraps) is a popular dim sum dish that is made by steaming lotus leaves filled with sticky rice, Chinese sausages, and other vegetables.

"The lotus leaves lend a subtle, earthy flavor to these lovely packages. The filling is wonderful, and the sticky rice is chewy and satisfying. Overall, a great meal. You can make the filling in advance to save prep time, and if you can't find lotus leaves, substitute parchment." —Diana Andrews

Lo Mai Gai (Lotus Leaf Wrap) Recipe
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 4 dried lotus leaves, halved

  • 2 cups glutinous rice (sticky rice)

  • 6 dried Chinese black mushrooms

  • 6 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breast

  • Salt, to taste

  • 2 tablespoons Chinese rice wine, or dry sherry, divided

  • 2 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch, divided

  • 2 Chinese sausages (lap cheong)

  • 1 clove garlic, finely chopped

  • 1 tablespoon light soy  sauce

  • 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce

  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

  • Freshly ground black or white pepper, to taste

  • 1/4 teaspoon sesame oil

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Lotus Leaf Wraps (Lo Mai Gai) ingredients

    The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi

  2. Prepare the lotus leaves by soaking them in hot water for 1 hour.

    Soak the lotus leaves in hot water

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  3. Cover the rice with water and let soak for 1 hour.

    Cover the rice with water in a bowl

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  4. Pat the lotus leaves dry and drain the rice.

    pat the lotus leaves dry

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  5. Next, steam the rice. Line a bamboo steamer with parchment paper and add the rice in an even layer. Fill a wok approximately to the halfway point with water so that the steamer will be sitting above the water without touching. Bring the water to a boil. Put the steamer in the wok, cover the rice, and steam until tender, about 25 minutes. Remove the rice, cover, and keep warm while preparing the remainder of the ingredients.

    steam the rice in a steamer

    The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi

  6. Meanwhile, soften the dried mushrooms by soaking in hot water for 20 to 30 minutes.

    Soften the dried mushrooms by soaking in hot water

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  7. Squeeze out any excess water from the mushrooms, remove and discard any tough stems, if necessary, and finely chop.

    Squeeze out any excess water from the mushrooms and chop

    The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi

  8. Cut the chicken into 1/2-inch cubes.

    Cut the chicken into small cubes

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  9. Add the salt, 1 tablespoon rice wine, and 1 teaspoon cornstarch to a medium bowl and mix to combine. Add chicken pieces and marinate at room temperature for 20 minutes.

    chicken and marinade in a bowl

    The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi

  10. Remove the casings from the sausage, if desired. Finely slice or chop the sausages. Peel and chop the garlic.

    Finely slice the sausages and garlic

    The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi

  11. In a small bowl, combine the remaining 1 tablespoon rice wine, light soy, and dark soy sauce. In a separate small bowl, dissolve the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch in 1 tablespoon water, then whisk into the rice wine-soy sauce mixture.

    In a small bowl, combine the rice wine, light soy, and dark soy sauce with a cornstarch mixture

    The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi

  12. Heat a wok over medium-high heat, then add the vegetable oil. When the oil shimmers, add the garlic and stir-fry until aromatic, about 30 seconds. Add the chicken and stir-fry until opaque and mostly cooked through, about 3 minutes.

    chicken cooking in a wok

    The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi

  13. Add the sausages and the mushrooms. Stir-fry for 1 minute. Give the sauce mixture a quick stir, then add to the middle of the wok, stirring quickly until thickened. Season with pepper to taste. Continue to cook, mixing everything together until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes more. Remove from the heat, and stir in the sesame oil. Set aside to cool.

    chicken, sausage, sauce and mushrooms cooking in a wok

    The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi

  14. To make the wraps, separate the rice and the filling into 8 separate equal portions (1 portion for each wrap). Lay a lotus leaf in front of you, right side down on the work surface. With damp hands, gently flatten a one-half portion of rice into a round disk, about 3 1/2-inches wide. Place the rice in the center of the lotus leaf. Top the rice with one portion of the filling, shaping the rice with your hands to form a ring around the filling. Add the remaining one-half portion of rice to cover the filling.

    rice and chicken mixture on a lotus leaf

    The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi

  15. Form a square parcel over the filling with the lotus leaf, making sure the filling is completely covered. Secure the package with kitchen twine. Repeat with the remaining rice, filling, and lotus leaves.

    Lotus Leaf Wraps (Lo Mai Gai) tied with twine

    The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi

  16. Steam the lotus leaf parcels in a covered bamboo steamer in a wok. Alternatively, use a vegetable steamer. Steam until the parcel is hot and the chicken finishes cooking, about 15 minutes.

    Lotus Leaf Wraps (Lo Mai Gai) in a steamer

    The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi

  17. To serve, remove and discard the twine. Unwrap the parcel, folding the lotus leaves down around the filling (do not eat leaves). Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
178 Calories
8g Fat
16g Carbs
9g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8
Amount per serving
Calories 178
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 8g 10%
Saturated Fat 2g 8%
Cholesterol 24mg 8%
Sodium 471mg 20%
Total Carbohydrate 16g 6%
Dietary Fiber 1g 2%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 9g
Vitamin C 0mg 2%
Calcium 13mg 1%
Iron 1mg 3%
Potassium 172mg 4%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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