Lo mai gai is glutinous rice cooked with savoury fillings, folded inside a lotus leaf and steamed until the leaf softens and the rice takes on its quiet, tea-like fragrance. Commonly traced to Guangzhou, it is the heartiest dish on the dim sum table, and the smaller parcels served in many restaurants go by a prettier name: pearl chicken.
What is lo mai gai?
The name 糯米雞, pronounced roughly noh máih gāi in Cantonese and nuòmǐ jī in Mandarin, simply means "glutinous rice chicken". The rice is soaked, seasoned and partly cooked, then layered around a filling, wrapped in a softened lotus leaf and steamed.
Fillings vary from kitchen to kitchen. Chicken is the namesake, and pork, shiitake mushroom, dried shrimp, Chinese sausage and salted egg yolk are all common companions. The steam carries the juices from the filling into the rice, so each grain is seasoned and slightly glossy, soft and sticky without being mushy.
Where does lo mai gai come from?
Most accounts place its roots in Guangzhou in the twentieth century. One commonly repeated version says it began as a bowl of savoury glutinous rice sold at night markets and teahouses, and that cooks later wrapped the rice in lotus leaves, which kept it warm, easy to carry and fragrant. The exact sequence is hard to pin down, and different cities tell slightly different stories.
As tea houses grew more refined, a smaller version appeared, sized for a dim sum basket rather than a full meal. It became known as jan jyu gai (珍珠雞), or pearl chicken, for its small, neat parcels. Both sizes are still made today, in Guangdong, in Hong Kong and in Cantonese restaurants abroad.
Why the lotus leaf matters
The leaf is not just packaging. Dried lotus leaves are soaked until pliable, then wrapped tightly around the rice. As the parcel steams, the leaf releases an earthy, faintly herbal aroma that is hard to describe and easy to recognise: you can usually smell lo mai gai before the basket lid comes off.
The leaf also holds moisture in, so the rice steams in its own juices, and it keeps the parcel neat. It is not eaten. A good parcel should open to rice that is evenly coloured and moist all the way through, with no dry or hard patches at the edges, and the filling should sit at the centre rather than spilling to one side.
How to eat lo mai gai
Unfold the leaf at the table, ideally with chopsticks and a spoon, and let the first cloud of steam escape. If the parcel is large, scoop portions onto small plates for everyone; a pearl chicken version can usually be eaten by one or two people.
Because it is rich and filling, lo mai gai tends to come later in a dim sum meal, after the lighter dumplings and rice rolls. It is also a favourite for guests who want something substantial, and many families order one per table to share. A pot of pu'er or another dark tea is a good match for its savoury depth.
Lo mai gai at Neptune Palace
Our version is listed as Sticky Rice with Pork in Lotus Leaf, item 106 in the steamed section, with the Chinese name 荷香當紅珍珠雞, meaning a pearl-chicken parcel scented with lotus leaf. It is served at both our Vancouver location at Marine Gateway and our Burnaby location at The Amazing Brentwood, made in house and steamed to order.
If you enjoy rice that has soaked up savoury juices, our Clay Pot Rice with Chinese cured meats (505) is a natural next step. Dim sum runs daily until 3 pm, and weekend tables can be reserved by phone at either location.
Questions, answered
What is inside lo mai gai?
Lo mai gai is glutinous rice seasoned with soy and cooked with savoury fillings. Common fillings include chicken, pork, shiitake mushroom, dried shrimp, Chinese sausage or salted egg yolk, though every kitchen has its own mix.
Can you eat the lotus leaf?
No. The lotus leaf is a wrapper that perfumes the rice as it steams. Open it at the table and eat the rice inside, leaving the leaf on the plate.
What is the difference between lo mai gai and pearl chicken?
They are the same dish in different sizes. Pearl chicken (珍珠雞) is a smaller parcel, often served two or three to a basket, which makes it easier to share as one part of a dim sum meal.
Does Neptune Palace serve lo mai gai?
Yes. Sticky Rice with Pork in Lotus Leaf (荷香當紅珍珠雞, menu 106) is on the steamed dim sum menu at both the Vancouver and Burnaby locations.