Day 4: Lo Mai Kai

Lo Mai Kai or sticky rice wrapped on a lotus leaf is a classic Cantonese dish, our third leg whenever we go dimsum. When one craves for dimsum, one only has to dangle Lo Mai Kai and bijiu (preferably Tiger) in front of H. He loves it on a first try. We've tried many all over Asia, including in its birth place. But nothing ever come close. Well, you can never get over your first love, can you?

One thing that's often missing from all other Lo Mai Kai is an egg yolk. Whenever eating Lo Mai Kai, H would carefully unfold the lotus leaf, and systematically dig for this golden nugget and cry foul if he doesn't find one. For H, if it doesn't come with the yolk, "it's not a real Lo Mai Kai" he said. So on this maiden attempt, I wanted to catch his dream Lo Mai Kai.

Recipe is from here and here.
I married the two, because they are essentially one and the same with slight variations. I added ebi (dried shrimp), left out lap cheong (chinese sausage), sans chinese 5-spice (I really need to find this!). Of course, an egg (half per portion).

Now, anyone who has ever attempted to make deviled eggs will understand my sweat & tears. I've tried many ways of peeling egg: cover it with cold water, peeling under tap water, tap and roll method (I even watched Andrea Nguyen's tutorial), but I never, ever, succeeded in peeling a perfect egg that's as smooth as baby's bottom. It's my itch that refuses to go. How now? What if Lenotre's pre-requisite is a baby's bottom egg??

Anyway, here we go..

Verdict: "Shhhhh, be quiet and let me eat", said H. For me, it was really good. It was a very decent Lo Mai Kai. The sweetness and saltiness are there, the chewiness from the hioko, the pungentness of the ebi, everything is present. Hooo rahh.

However, the chicken has to be cubed smaller, a tinge more dark soya sauce (colour has to be two shades darker), and of course, egg has to be basked with chicken marinade (mine is still white despite the good rubbing of soya sauce)!!

Can I now whisk out my wooden trolley? "Lo Mai Kai, Char Siew Bao, Har Gao, Xiu Mai,.. Shui yao mai?"