Steamed Rice Wrapped in Lotus Leaf With Sweet Chinese Pork Sausa

I used to go for dim sum at a wonderful asian restaurant, and would buy about three of these small bamboo steamers packed full of this unbelievable flavorful rice. I went home experimented and figured out the recipe. Absolutly delicious, and is the closest thing to authentic chinese home cooking I have eaten to date. (You need a Large Bamboo steamer for this recipe)

• Ready In: 1 hr 30 mins
• Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 1⁄2 lb  sweet sausage (Chinese)
• 4  cups sweet rice
• 1  tablespoon  rice wine vinegar
• 2  tablespoons sugar
• 1 (14 ounce) can whole mushrooms (drained)
• 1⁄2 cup  cooked shrimp (optional)
• 1  lotus leaves, and large bamboo steamer

Directions

1. After making your sweet rice, (follow the directions on the package) mix the sugar and rice wine vinigar in , keep adding and tasting until it suits your pallet. Now I chop the shrimp into smaller peices and cut up the chinese sweet pork sausage into bite sized pieces. If you cant find this sausage you can fry 1/2 lb of ground pork in teryaki sauce until cooked. (it tastes the same as the sausage.) I mix this and one can of whole mushrooms into the rice.
2. As you are doing this, soak 1 lotus leaf and two leaf strings in a sink full of water. I use warm water and fill up a tea kettle and place it ontop of the leaf to sink it. Try not to break the leaf or the strings. (the strings should be included in the package of lotus leaves).
3. Now place your leaf over your large bamboo steamer making sure the strings are underneath the leaf in a criss cross. Start filling your leaf by packing the rice mixture into it and thus packing it into the shape of the bamboo steamer. Pack the rice in until it reaches the top of the steamer, and then fold the rest of the leaf over the top of the rice to make a package and then tie the strings together to keep the package together. Put the lid on the bamboo steamer.
4. Now in a large deep pot, I place a ceramic plate upside down and then put my Bamboo steamer ontop of the plate in the pot. I then fill the pot with hot water up to the bottom of the bamboo steamer and turn the burner onto a higher setting to ensure the water boils quickly. Now put the lid on and let it steam for about 30minutes to an hour.the longer it boils the better the lotus leaf flavor sinks into the rice. You'll have to refill the water so check it every 20 minutes to make sure the pot isnt dry.
5. Now get a plate, unwrap the leaf and enjoy with chopsticks and lemon soya sauce -- and sit back and wonder to yourself how something this simple could taste so amazing! oooh its good.