Organic lotus leaf brown rice

A vegetarian recipe.

Ingredients (serves 4):
4 tbsp organic black eye peas
4 tbsp organic dark red kidney beans
4 tbsp lotus seeds
4 tbsp Chinese chestnuts
500g organic brown rice
1 medium organic carrot (diced into cubes)
10 pieces dry shiitake mushrooms (sliced)
1 tsp sea salt
2 tbsp organic olive oil
1 small root ginger (smashed)
1 tbsp organic soy sauce
1 tsp Chinese five-spice powder
1 tsp organic pepper
1 piece lotus leaf

Method:
1. Soak the black-eye peas, kidney beans, lotus seeds and chestnuts for 5 hours.
2. Put rice, salt, olive oil and ginger in an electric rice cooker and cook the rice.
3. On a medium fire, stir-fry the remaining ingredients (including the soaked beans and seeds) with the seasonings for 10 minutes.
4. Mix the cooked rice with the contents of the frying pan and stir-fry for 10 minutes.
5. Place the contents onto the clean lotus leaf which has been soaked in warm water, wrap it up and steam for 20 minutes.
6. Add garnish (optional). Serve.

Recipe source: Today newspaper