Ingredients

• 300g/10½oz glutinous rice
• 1 tbsp peanut oil
• 2.5cm/1in piece fresh root ginger
• peeled and grated
• 2 small shallots
• finely chopped
• small handful of dried shrimps
• soaked in hot water for 20 mins
• then drained and finely chopped
• 5 small
• dried shiitake mushrooms
• soaked in hot water for 20 mins
• then drained and finely chopped
• 300g/10½oz pork belly
• cut into 0.5cm/¼in square cubes
• 1 tsp Chinese five-spice powder
• 1 tbsp Shoaxing rice wine (or dry sherry)
• 600g/1lb 5oz cooked glutinous rice (from above)
• 2 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
• pinch sea salt
• freshly ground white pepper
• 2 dried lotus leaves
• soaked in hot water for 20 mins
• then drained
• 2 garlic cloves
• finely chopped
• 1 knob ginger
• finely grated
• 1 red chilli
• de-seeded and finely chopped
• 150-200g/5-7oz baby pak choi leaves
• washed and halved
• 1 tbsp shaoxing rice wine or water
• 1 tbsp low sodium light soy sauce
• 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
• 1 tbsp black rice vinegar or clear rice vinegar
• 1-2 spring onions
• sliced into long strips
• then placed in iced water and drained
• to make curls

Directions

• For the glutinous rice
• rinse the rice in bowls of water until the water runs clear (to remove the excess starch).
• Place in a pan with 600ml/1 pint water. Bring to the boil
• then reduce the heat
• cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Ensure all the water has evaporated before using.
• For the lotus leaf parcels
• heat a wok over high heat until it begins to smoke
• then add the peanut oil.
• Add the ginger
• shallots
• chopped shrimps and mushrooms and stir-fry for one minute.
• Add the pork belly and stir-fry to break it up. When the pork begins to brown
• stir in the five-spice and rice wine (or sherry). When the wine has almost evaporated
• stir in the cooked rice.
• Once the rice is incorporated
• season with the soy sauce
• the sesame oil
• salt and white pepper and mix well. Remove from the heat.
• Pat the lotus leaves dry using kitchen paper.
• Spoon half of the sticky rice mixture into the centre of one lotus leaf.
• Fold in the sides (snug
• but not tight)
• fold up the bottom and roll up
• then secure with cooks' string.
• Repeat with the remaining lotus leaf and rice.
• Place in a bamboo steamer and steam for 10 minutes until the fragrance has infused.
• Remove from the steamer and untie the parcels
• For the pak choi stir fry
• heat a wok until hot
• then add the garlic
• ginger and chilli and stir fry for one minute.
• Add the pak choi and stir fry for another minute then add the remaining ingredients and stir fry for 1-2 minutes until the pak choi has just wilted and is hot.
• To serve
• place the parcels on a serving plate with pak choi alongside and garnish with the sliced spring onions.