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Preparation
40 minutes
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Cooking
40 minutes
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Difficulty
Easy
Change up your vegetarian meal for the full moon with lotus leaf wrapped mixed sticky rice. The vegetarian dish is made with easily found ingredients, simple preparation methods, and delicious flavors that rival savory dishes. Get cooking and show off your skills now!
Ingredients for Lotus Leaf Wrapped Mixed Sticky Rice For 4 people
Sticky rice 3 kg Wood ear mushrooms 10 pieces Shiitake mushrooms 10 pieces Carrot 1 root Lotus seeds 100 gr Peanuts 100 gr Pickled radish 50 gr (shredded) Shallots 5 bulbs Lotus leaves 10 pieces Vegetarian seasoning 1 teaspoon Vegetarian oyster sauce 1 tablespoon Cooking oil 2 tablespoons Sugar/pepper a little
How to Choose Fresh Ingredients
How to choose good shiitake mushrooms
- You should choose dried shiitake mushrooms, which will have a characteristic aroma and taste better than fresh mushrooms when cooked.
- The shape of dried shiitake mushrooms is similar to that of fresh shiitake mushrooms, but since they are dried, they are lighter in weight.
- Choose mushrooms that are not broken, and the caps should be light brown.
- Do not buy mushrooms with a musty smell or any strange odors, and avoid those with white mold spots.
How to choose good dried wood ear mushrooms
- Prioritize choosing wood ear mushrooms with large, thick caps and a stem with few small mushrooms.
- The mushroom color should be dark amber, slightly glossy on the top side, and coffee milk color on the underside.
- Avoid choosing mushrooms that are too black, as this type may become mushy when soaked in water and is less crispy and tasty.
How to choose fresh lotus seeds
- When buying lotus seeds, choose those that are mature, with smooth, shiny skin and a certain firmness.
- It’s best to buy lotus seeds that are off-white or dark yellow, as they will be soft, rich, and have a very distinctive aroma when cooked.
- Avoid choosing immature seeds, those that are too small, seeds that have lost their hearts, dry seeds, and those that are moldy. These seeds will be bland and not tasty when prepared.
How to choose fresh carrots
- Choose carrots that are of moderate size, tapered towards the tail, with smooth skin, and feel heavy and firm in hand.
- Carrots should have green tops tightly attached to the root, with a deep orange color, and not bruised.
- Avoid buying carrots with damaged tops and stems, slimy texture, or unusual smells.
How to choose delicious dried salted radish
- You should choose salted radish strands that have a uniform yellow-brown color.
- The radish strands should be slightly dry, and when squeezed, they feel soft and have a natural fragrance.
- Avoid buying salted radishes that are black or have unusual colors, unpleasant smells, or are moldy.
- You can easily find salted radishes at markets and convenience stores with prices ranging from 45,000 – 55,000 VND/ 250g.
- Additionally, you can also make salted radishes at home to ensure safety and deliciousness following the recipe from TasteVN.
Where to buy lotus leaves?
- You can easily find lotus leaves at large markets, floating markets in river areas, or on e-commerce websites.
- When buying, you should choose intact lotus leaves, wide leaves, that are not torn or old so that the sticky rice is fragrant when cooked.
-800x450.jpg "How to make sweet and fragrant mixed vegetarian sticky rice wrapped in lotus leaves simply at home 2")
Tools needed
How to prepare Vegetarian Mixed Sticky Rice wrapped in Lotus Leaves
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Wash and soak the sticky rice
After buying sticky rice, wash it clean and soak it in water for about 30 minutes to let it expand, then drain the soaking water.
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Prepare other ingredients
Soak shiitake mushrooms and wood ear mushrooms in water for about 1 hour until soft, drain, remove the mushroom stems, and slice thinly.
Wash lotus seeds and peanuts, drain, and steam for about 15 minutes until partially cooked. Rinse the pickled radish briefly with water to reduce saltiness, then drain.
Peel the carrot and dice it. Peel the shallots and slice them thinly.
Sun-dry the lotus leaves for about 15 minutes to wilt them slightly for easier wrapping.
How to clean shiitake and wood ear mushrooms quickly:
Method 1 (soaking): Soak the mushrooms in water for about 1 – 2 hours, then rinse with clean water and drain before cooking. To make the mushrooms expand faster, you can soak them in water at 60 – 80 degrees Celsius.
Method 2 (boiling mushrooms): Rinse the mushrooms briefly with clean water, then boil them in a pot of boiling water for about 3 – 5 minutes.
See details: How to prepare common types of mushrooms for dishes.
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Stir-frying ingredients
Place a pan on the stove, add 1 tablespoon of cooking oil to the pan. Wait for the oil to heat up, then add all the shallots, frying until golden and fragrant.
When the shallots are fragrant, add the pickled radish, shiitake mushrooms, and wood ear mushrooms, mixing well for about 2 minutes over medium heat until the ingredients are slightly firm.
Continue to add peanuts, carrots, lotus seeds, 1 teaspoon of vegetarian seasoning, 1 teaspoon of sugar, 1 teaspoon of pepper, and 1 tablespoon of vegetarian oyster sauce, stir-frying continuously for about 5 minutes to allow the mixture to absorb the seasonings.
Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed, then turn off the heat, add the soaked sticky rice, and mix well to combine with the vegetable mixture above.
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Sticky Rice Package
On a plate, lay a layer of plastic wrap, then place a lotus leaf on top, spreading a layer of cooking oil evenly over the lotus leaf. Next, add about 1 cup of the mixed sticky rice with vegetables that has been prepared on top. Fold the edges of the leaf from the outside in to completely wrap the mixture inside, and then use plastic wrap to secure it so that the leaf does not unfold.
Repeat the similar process until all the vegetable and sticky rice mixture is used up.
Tip:
- Spread a layer of cooking oil evenly over the lotus leaf before wrapping to prevent the sticky rice from sticking and to make it more appetizing.
- To save time, you can divide the mixture into several portions, each about 1/2 cup, and then wrap them in the lotus leaf. This will help the sticky rice packages be thinner and cook faster.
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Steaming sticky rice
Place the steamer on the stove, add the sticky rice packages, and steam for about 30 – 40 minutes until the rice is soft and fragrant, then remove to a plate.
Wait for the sticky rice to cool slightly, then remove the plastic wrap. The cooked sticky rice packages can be arranged on a plate, unwrap the lotus leaves, and enjoy immediately or store in the fridge refrigerator for later use.
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Finished product
So the vegetarian mixed sticky rice wrapped in lotus leaves is complete. The sticky rice is chewy, rich, blended with the naturally sweet mixed filling, and the aroma from the lotus leaves and fried onions is truly enticing, isn’t it?
Enjoy it while it’s still hot, dipped with a bit of spicy chili sauce, what could be better? This vegetarian sticky rice dish will surely make your whole family love it!
See more:
Mixed vegetarian sticky rice wrapped in lotus leaves is really delicious, attractive, and easy to make, isn’t it? TasteVN wishes you success and don’t forget to follow the page for more cooking tips for delicious dishes!
*Refer to the recipe and images from the YouTube channel Jenny Ho – Life Around Us
