Taiwanese Sticky Rice Youfan
Taiwanese Sticky Rice is called Youfan (油饭) in the local dialect. People in Taiwan gift this dish to friends to celebrate newborn babies, and it is also served at family gatherings. Chinese-cookbook section but this dish is Taiwanese (TW).
⏱️ Prep: 120 min🍳 Cook: 65 min
Ingredients
| 400 g | Glutinous rice (see page 31) |
| 18 g | Dried shiitake mushrooms (about 6) |
| 25 g | Dried shrimp |
| 200 g | Skinless pork belly |
| 9 g | Minced garlic |
| 75 g | Chinese cooking wine |
| 75 g | Soy sauce |
| 16.6 g | Dark soy sauce |
| 12.5 g | Sugar |
| 120 g | Mushroom soaking liquid |
| 2 g | Five-spice powder |
| 2.4 g | Ground white pepper |
| 24 g | Crispy fried shallots |
| 13.6 g | Sesame oil |
| 1 | Lotus leaf, soaked in hot water until soft |
Instructions
- Rinse and rub the glutinous rice several times until the water runs clear. Soak the rice in clean water for 2 hours.
- Soak the dried shiitake mushrooms and dried shrimp in clean water for 2 hours.
- Fill a steamer pot with lots of water and place a wet cheesecloth on the steamer. Drain the rice and spread it evenly over the cheesecloth. Poke some holes in the rice to let steam through, then steam over medium heat for 30 minutes (count from when the water boils).
- While the rice steams, drain the mushrooms and shrimp, reserving 1/2 cup of the soaking liquid. Slice the rehydrated mushrooms thinly and keep the shrimp as is.
- Slice the pork belly into 1/8-inch thick slices.
- Place a wok over medium-low heat and add the pork belly. Stir for 5 minutes or until 2-3 Tbsps of oil render out.
- Add the garlic, soaked shrimp and mushroom slices. Saute a few minutes to activate the umami flavor.
- Add the Chinese cooking wine, soy sauce, dark soy sauce, sugar, five-spice powder, white pepper, crispy fried shallots and sesame oil. Stir for a minute to mingle everything.
- Pour the reserved soaking liquid into the wok and mix until well combined.
- Transfer the steamed glutinous rice into the wok and thoroughly mix until no white shows. Watch the sauce amount; turn off the heat as soon as the liquid is absorbed, or the rice will stick.
- Place a lotus leaf in the steamer and transfer the mixed rice onto it. Poke holes through the leaf for better circulation and steam over medium heat for 20 minutes to infuse the rice with the lotus aroma (skip this step if not using a lotus leaf).
- Garnish with cilantro and extra crispy fried shallots.
Ingredient tips: Non-alcohol replacements for Chinese cooking wine vary; for this dish you can use the same amount of stock. Crispy fried shallots are a signature Taiwanese ingredient - if unavailable, make your own (see the Taiwanese Braised Pork Belly recipe, page 76). Lotus leaves can be hard to find; skip them or use banana leaves and corn husks.