Hearty and warming, this is a popular winter dish in China, and rightly so. If you have a rice cooker, this is a good place to use it; it will allow you both to make the rice and to keep it warm. Even better is to wrap the rice in lotus leaves, as in the variation, which gives it a rich, smoky flavor and produces a dish often served at dim sum brunches. You can find lotus (or banana) leaves, as well as Chinese sausage and dried shrimp, at most Asian markets.

　　

Ingredients

makes 4 servings

　　1 1/2 cups sticky short-grain Chinese rice (sometimes called glutinous rice), rinsed well and drained

　　1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1/2-inch chunks

　　2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine or dry sherry

　　1/3 cup soy sauce

　　1 tablespoon corn, grapeseed, or other neutral oil

　　2 Chinese sausage links, chopped

　　6 wood ear or shiitake mushrooms, reconstituted (page 112), drained, and chopped

　　10 dried shrimp (page 185), soaked in hot water, drained, and chopped

　　2 scallions, trimmed and minced

　　

Step 1

Cook the rice in a rice cooker or on the stovetop: Cover the rice with 3 cups cold water in a medium saucepan, bring to a boil, then turn the heat down and simmer, covered, until the rice absorbs the water and is cooked through, about 30 minutes.

　　

Step 2

Meanwhile, marinate the chicken in the wine and 2 tablespoons of the soy sauce. Heat the oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat. Add the sausage, mushrooms, and shrimp and brown, stirring occasionally, about 2 minutes. Add the chicken with its marinade and cook, stirring, until cooked through, about 4 minutes.

　　

Step 3

When the rice is done, stir in the chicken mixture and the remaining soy sauce until well combined. Garnish with the scallions and serve.

　　

Sticky Rice Wrapped in Lotus Leaves

Step 4

Soak 4 to 6 large lotus or banana leaves in hot water until soft, then rinse well and pat dry. Cut the lotus leaves so that you have eight 8 × 10-inch rectangles, with the grain of the leaves running the long way. Place one long end closest to your body and spoon a quarter of the rice mixture onto the middle of the leaf. Fold one long end over, then the other, and finally the 2 shorter ends. Seal with a toothpick or string. Repeat with the remaining leaves. (You may refrigerate these packages for up to 2 days.) When you’re ready to serve, steam over boiling water until hot, about 10 minutes, or microwave for a couple of minutes to reheat.

　　The Best Recipes in the World by Mark Bittman. © 2005 by Mark Bittman. Published by Broadway Books. All Rights Reserved.MARK BITTMAN is the author of the blockbuster The Best Recipes in the World (Broadway, 2005) and the classic bestseller How to Cook Everything, which has sold more than one million copies. He is also the coauthor, with Jean-Georges Vongerichten, of Simple to Spectacular and Jean-Georges: Cooking at Home with a Four-Star Chef. Mr. Bittman is a prolific writer, makes frequent appearances on radio and television, and is the host of The Best Recipes in the World, a 13-part series on public television. He lives in New York and Connecticut.