Cantonese Steamed Glutinous Rice with Chicken (Lo Mai Kai)

糯米鸡

My late mother-in-law used to prepare this dish for our breakfast. 

Ingredients (makes 8 bowls):

4 cups (580g) glutinous rice

500g chicken meat (from thigh, breast, drumstick)

2 pieces of dried shiitake mushrooms

3 pieces of dried scallops (optional)

3 cloves garlic

Marinade for rice:

1 tablespoon sesame oil

1 tablespoon light soy sauce

1 teaspoon dark soy sauce

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

Marinade for chicken (can include pork belly):

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoon sesame oil

dashes of white pepper

2 teaspoon corn flour

Method:

1. Soak glutinous rice for 4 hours. Drain thereafter and marinate rice. Discard the soaking liquid.

2. Soak mushroom for 1 hour to re-hydrate, squeeze out water from the mushrooms and cut into small pieces. Retain the soaking liquid. Soak the scallops too if using, and similarly retain the soaking liquid for use later. 

3. Marinade chicken for 1 hour.

4. Mince garlic and fry until fragrant. Add the rice and stir fry for 1 minute under low heat. Set aside.

5. Top up the water for soaking mushrooms (and scallops) with more water to make up 250ml. 

6. Place chicken, mushroom and scallop (if using) into the bottom of individual bowl. Fill up the bowl (to 3/4 full) with glutinous rice and use the back of the spoon to gently press down the rice. Add 2 tablespoons of water (from step 5) into each bowl until water almost cover the top of the rice.

7. Steam the glutinous rice bowls under medium-high heat for 1 hour. Check water in the steamer and top up water accordingly.

8. Invert the bowls to turn over the rice onto a plate. Best serve hot!