Why it works: Lotus and rice work together. They rank in the top 4% of all ingredient pairs, and 17 recipes mention both. Both carry 2,4-nonadienal, which smells fatty, green. The science ↓
The recipe
12 portionsIngredients
Contains: soy, sesame (auto-detected from the ingredients and method; we can miss things, so check labels)
Also mentioned in the method: sesame
Directions
Prepare
Soak lotus leaves in water for 20 minutes.
Soak dried shiitake mushrooms in boiling water for 30 minutes to reconstitute, then cut into thin strips when soft.
Alternatively, wash fresh shiitake mushrooms and cut into thin strips.
Rinse rice in warm water in a large bowl 3 or 4 times, or until water runs clear.
Steam rice until tender, about 30 minutes.
Make the filling
Mix mushrooms, bamboo shoots, 1 ½ cups water, soy sauce, salt, and black pepper thoroughly into rice.
Add sesame oil to mixture, but do not stir.
Wipe off soaked lotus leaves with a clean dishcloth or paper towel.
Cut each leaf into 4 small pieces and place flat on work surface.
Divide cooked rice mixture into 12 equal portions.
Wrap and steam
Place rice mixture on one end of a leaf.
Fold sides over filling, tuck leaf in tightly, roll carefully, and tuck ends underneath.
Place rolls in a steamer and steam for 10 minutes, or until heated through.
Remove from steamer and serve.
This recipe comes from the Recipes Wiki on Fandom and is licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Our formatting and summaries are shared under the same licence.
Steps grouped into stages for easier reading; the method is the source's own.
Explore the science
The flavor team
The pairs that carry this dish. Each one is judged two ways: how much aroma chemistry they share, and how many recipes mention both.
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Lotus + ricetop 4% of all pairsAroma overlapmoderateMentioned together17 recipes
Shared aroma: 2,4-nonadienal (fatty, green).
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Shiitake + bamboo shootstop 3% of all pairsAroma overlapstrongMentioned together19 recipes
Shared aroma: nonanal (fat, citrus).
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Rice + bamboo shootstop 5% of all pairsAroma overlapmoderateMentioned together46 recipes
Shared aroma: nonanal (fat, citrus).
-
Shiitake + ricetop 6% of all pairsAroma overlapmoderateMentioned together86 recipes
Shared aroma: 1-octen-3-ol (mushroom, earthy).
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Lotus + bamboo shootstop 6% of all pairsAroma overlapstrongMentioned together5 recipes
Shared aroma: nonanal (fat, citrus).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Glutinous rice
- Turns sticky when cooked, holding the filling together in a firm, chewy roll.
- Lotus leaves
- Wrap the filling, keeping it moist and adding a subtle fragrance during steaming.
- Shiitake mushrooms
- Add savory, umami depth and a meaty, chewy texture to the rice.
- Bamboo shoots
- Contribute a crisp, tender bite that contrasts with the soft rice.
- Soy sauce
- Adds salty, savory flavor and deepens the color of the rice mixture.
The step that matters
Rolling the leaves tightly. Rice expands and loosens as it heats, so a loose wrap can split or leak filling during steaming. Tight folds keep the roll sealed and the rice evenly moist.
“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.
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