Lo Mai Gai

also called no mai gai · nor mai gai · lo mai kai · nuo mi ji · 糯米雞 · sticky rice in lotus leaf

The table

2 cups(400 g)glutinous ricesoak the rice 4 hr, drain itstir the rice through the oyster sauce and mushroom liquorspread the rice on the leaf, fill it, fold the parcel over twicesteam 1 hr 30 min
6 cups(1.4 L)cold water
1 cup(240 mL; strained)mushroom liquor
1 Tbsoyster sauce
1 Tbspeanut oil
1/2 tspkosher salt
2(halved)dried lotus leavessoak the leaves 30 min, wipe them, cut the stems out
8 cups(1.9 L)hot water
12 oz(340 g; in 1-in pieces)boneless chicken thighmarinate the thigh, mushroom and sausage 30 min
4(soaked in 1 cup hot water and halved, liquor kept)dried shiitake mushrooms
1 link(sliced on the diagonal)lap cheong
1 Tbsoyster sauce
2 tsplight soy sauce
2 tspShaoxing wine
1 tspsugar
2 tspcornstarch
1 tsptoasted sesame oil
1/4 tspwhite pepper
Tap anything to cross it off.

What to lay out

Everything the recipe asks for, sitting under the step that eats it. Tick each one as you measure it.19 things to get out.

Pans and tools

1soak the rice 4 hr, drain it

2soak the leaves 30 min, wipe them, cut the stems out

3marinate the thigh, mushroom and sausage 30 min

4stir the rice through the oyster sauce and mushroom liquor

goes in with what step 1 made

Cooking it

Start to finish is the longest chain through the table, so branches that overlap are counted once. That is why the waits add up to more than the clock — and it only holds if you get them going together.

Tap a step when it is done; the next one lights up.

The clock

Start to finish
at least 5 hr 30 mintwo waits that overlap count once
Needs you
none givenof the steps that give a time

2 of the 6 steps never say how long they take, so both numbers are floors. The recipe itself says 6 hr 30 min.

  1. soak the rice 4 hr, drain it

    4 hrwalk awayfrom the start

  2. soak the leaves 30 min, wipe them, cut the stems out

    30 minwalk awayfrom the start

  3. marinate the thigh, mushroom and sausage 30 min

    30 minwalk awayfrom the start

  4. stir the rice through the oyster sauce and mushroom liquor

    not timed4 hr in

  5. spread the rice on the leaf, fill it, fold the parcel over twice

    not timed4 hr in

  6. steam 1 hr 30 min

    1 hr 30 minwalk away4 hr in

Drawn to scale, so a long wait really does take up the room it takes. The shortest stretches keep a sliver so they stay visible; their times are printed beside them. Bars that line up are happening at the same time.

You'll need steamer

See how it is written
>> title: Lo Mai Gai
>> category: Rice, Beans & Grains
>> tags: glutinous rice, chicken, chinese, steamed, lotus leaf
>> counters: Dim Sum Counter
>> aka: no mai gai, nor mai gai, lo mai kai, nuo mi ji, 糯米雞, sticky rice in lotus leaf
>> servings: 4
>> time: 6 hr 30 min
>> step.1: soak the rice 4 hr, drain it
>> step.2: soak the leaves 30 min, wipe them, cut the stems out
>> step.3: marinate the thigh, mushroom and sausage 30 min
>> step.4: stir the rice through the oyster sauce and mushroom liquor
>> step.5: spread the rice on the leaf, fill it, fold the parcel over twice
>> step.6: steam 1 hr 30 min

Soak @glutinous rice{2%cups}(400 g) in @cold water{6%cups}(1.4 L) for ~soak{4%hr}, then drain it well.

Soak @dried lotus leaves{2}(halved) in @hot water{8%cups}(1.9 L) for ~soak{30%min} until they are pliable, then wipe both faces and cut the hard stem out. The leaf is the dish — steamed in foil this is just sticky rice, and it says so on no menu anywhere.

Marinate @boneless chicken thigh{12%oz}(340 g; in 1-in pieces), @dried shiitake mushrooms{4}(soaked in 1 cup hot water and halved, liquor kept) and @lap cheong{1%link}(sliced on the diagonal) with @oyster sauce{1%Tbs}, @light soy sauce{2%tsp}, @Shaoxing wine{2%tsp}, @sugar{1%tsp}, @cornstarch{2%tsp}, @toasted sesame oil{1%tsp} and @white pepper{1/4%tsp} for ~marinate{30%min}.

Stir @&(~3)drained rice{} through @mushroom liquor{1%cup}(240 mL; strained), @oyster sauce{1%Tbs}, @peanut oil{1%Tbs} and @kosher salt{1/2%tsp} until every grain is coated and faintly brown.

Spread @&(~1)rice{} in a bed on each of @&(~3)lotus leaves{}, hollow the middle, spoon @&(~2)filling{} in, cap it with more rice, and fold the leaf over into a parcel twice, tucking the ends under.

Steam @&(~1)parcels{} seam-down in a #steamer{} over boiling water for ~steam{1 1/2%hr}, topping the water up as it goes. The rice comes out smelling faintly of tea, which is the leaf and nothing else.