Rice Month – Loh Mai Kai

Whenever we have dim sum for brekkie, hubster would not fail to order his favourite loh mai kai. Unless the shop has very good standards for loh mai kai, my constant peeve with them is that they tend to be overly greasy. I hate greasy loh mai kais. I get that they need a certain amount of fat but to put so much grease on it just to keep it moist is not the way. Also, unless the shop is non-halal, most loh mai kais do not have ‘lap cheong’ or Chinese dried sausages.

So, if you want what you want, make it yourself. I actually saw this recipe somewhere but I can’t remember the actual source but I do know that it was from Amy Beh. I added lap cheong to my loh mai kai but I think what made it really tasty is the use of shallot oil; by frying the shallots in oil and later using that oil to cook the rice and the chicken.

Hubster commented that it does not really taste like what they have in dim sum shops although he finished the entire dome of loh mai kai, but to me it was yummy! Maybe his palate has been so used to the MSG in shops but I felt in a sense I don’t really want my loh mai kai to taste like what they have in the restaurants, I want it to taste even better! Ah well, this recipe is still improving but for now, this is what goes into my loh mai kai.

LOH MAI KAI RECIPE
(adapted from Amy Beh) 

Ingredients;

Chicken thighs or breast, cut to small pieces
5 rose shallots, sliced (the darker ones,
not the Thai shallots)
2 cups glutinous Rice, soaked for
an hour before steaming
4 – 6 Dried shitake mushrooms, rehydrated
1 Lap Cheong (Chinese Sausage), sliced
Scallions, chopped (optional)
6 – 7 tablespoons sunflower oil
Shallot oil (after frying the sliced shallots)

Mixture A (marinade);
Juice of a thumb-sized piece of ginger
1 teaspoon oyster sauce
2 teapsoons light Soy Sauce
1 teaspoon Shaoxing Wine
1 teaspoon Sesame Oil
2 teaspoons Dark Soy Sauce
1/2 teaspoon Chinese Five Spice
Salt
White Pepper

Mixture B (for rice);
2 tablespoons Light Soy Sauce
2 tablespoons Dark Soy Sauce
1 tablespoon Oyster Sauce
1 teaspoon Sugar
1/2 teaspoon Chinese Five Spice
White pepper
A bit if water to dilute the mixture

Steps;

1. Prep the chicken and mix the marinade together. Marinade the chicken in mixture A for at least 3 hours.
2. Cook the glutinous rice. I usually put them in a strainer and steam in a wok because my rice cooker is not that good for glutinous rice. Steam for about 10 minutes. They don’t have to be really soft.

3. Heat a wok with some sunflower oil. Fry the shallots till they’re brown and crispy.
4. Dish out the oil but leave at least two tablespoons in the wok. Cook the chicken in the oil with the lap cheong.
5. Dish out the chicken. Add another tablespoon of shallot oil and toss the rice with mixture B and the fried shallots till they’re evenly coated.
6. Take some heatproof bowls and lightly grease the inside with the shallot oil. I use paper towels and just blot some oil on it. First put the shitake mushrooms, chicken and lap cheong at the bottom of the bowl. Then add the rice, patting it down firm.
7. Layer it how you like, alternating between meats, mushroom and rice.
8. Steam the loh mai kai for 5 mins.

9. Eat while they’re still warm. My favourite way of enjoying loh mai kai….with Kampong Koh Chilli Sauce!

Enjoy!