Lotus Leaf Pork

Lotus Leaf Pork

　　A traditional dish of the Yao people in Lianshan. It boasts the fragrant aroma of lotus leaves, the rich flavor of pork, the subtle scent of glutinous rice, and the bold taste of several seasonings. The dish melts in your mouth, combining tender, flavorful, and sticky rice into one delightful meal.

　　To make this dish, first pick fresh lotus leaves, wash them, and dry them for later use. Then prepare a proper mix of glutinous rice and non-glutinous rice, stir-frying the grains until they turn slightly yellow and emit a rich aroma. Next, grind the fried rice together with a suitable amount of spices such as cumin and star anise into a fine powder. Cut streaky pork (pork with alternating layers of fat and lean meat) into inch-sized cubes and marinate them in salt, soy sauce, and cooking wine for about an hour. Meanwhile, boil pork bones to make a broth. Use this broth to mix the pork, rice flour, and moisture evenly—ensuring the mixture has just the right balance of wetness and dryness. Then wrap the pork and flour mixture into cone-shaped packages using the lotus leaves. Depending on the number of lotus leaf packages, steam them in a steamer for several hours before serving.

　　Mix the rice flour and moisture evenly, ensuring the right balance of wetness and dryness. Then wrap the pork and flour mixture into cone-shaped packages using the lotus leaves. Depending on the number of lotus leaf packages, steam them in a steamer for several hours before serving.