saghar of lab noon sent out a call for a virtual midsummer potluck for peace, and i was on board 3409%. i don’t feel as fragile now as i did back in november, in a post-election haze. you know, when my already tear-y instincts were heightened to the point where i almost started bawling in the middle of lecture. i think it’s partially because i try not to linger in certain social media black holes, and partially because i’m still ensconced in my bubble. there’s so much crud out there to deal with, and sometimes i feel paralyzed by all that we need to do and my lack of political power considering how i’m simply 1 citizen. but what i can do is talk to people; all of you, for example. tell me about politics, your communities, anything. i want to listen, learn, and make a conversation that is constructive as much as it is friendly.
onto the food, since discussion is always better with belly filling sustenance. i was debating bringing other rice-heavy things like fried rice or savory, pan-fried rice cakes before i landed on no mai fan, aka chinese sticky rice. it’s not really summer food, and i associate it much more with the holidays, since my family usually does a mix of traditional american food and the asian food we love (you know that spam musubi is making an appearance). regardless, i can’t help but think that a bowlful of this would go a long way towards mellowing people out and ushering in a touch more peace.
the combo of normal and sticky rices makes it sticky and chewy without veering towards gluey. there’s salty, crispy, fatty lap cheong, which i view as the chinese sausage king. i use it in everything from taro cake to okonomiyaki because it’s that good. earthy mushrooms and crunchy peanuts give this a bit more heartiness, which gets balanced out by the oniony scallions and herby cilantro. if you’re not familiar with dried shrimp, this dish might be a bit fragrant, but i promise it’s less intimidating in flavor than it is in scent.
check out all the other posts for this potluck!
adventures in cooking: strawberry rhubarb pie ice cream sandwiches
an edible mosaic: middle eastern spiced green beans with olive oil and tomato
brewing happiness: healthy southern baked beans
cloudy kitchen: earl grey blueberry pie
cook til delicious: cold sesame peanut noodles
displacedhousewife: strawberry scone-cakes with fresh orange blossom whipped cream
floating kitchen: blistered green beans with apricots and chive blossoms
ginger & toasted sesame: walnut bread with boursin and prosciutto
harvest and honey: chasing summer
hortus cuisine: panino with roasted peppers, pesto & arugula
on the plate: sriracha scotch eggs
ruby josephine: halwa d’tmar (moroccan date-stuffed cookies)
tasty seasons: grilled mojito chicken
tending the table: roasted cauliflower with pine nuts, parsley and currants
terminatetor kitchen: strawberry shortcakes with gluten-free yogurt biscuits & mint whipped cream
the little epicurean: halo-halo
this mess is ours: simple tomato & avocado salad
twigg studios: roasted beet leek and feta quiche
vermilion roots: tofu salad with spiced peanut sauce
wood and spoon: strawberry almond skillet cake
1 year ago: Cherry Jasmine Waffles, Apricot Melon Basil Popsicles
2 years ago: West Coast Brownies, Kimchi Fried Rice on Thursdays
No mai fan, or Chinese sticky rice, is filled with treasures like fatty lap cheong, tender shiitake mushrooms and crunchy peanuts.
- 1 cup uncooked sticky/sweet/glutinous rice
- 1 cup uncooked white rice
- 1 T oyster sauce
- 1 1/2 T soy sauce
- 2 tsp dark soy sauce
- 1/4 tsp fish sauce
- 1/4 tsp sesame oil
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 3 links lap cheong/Chinese sausage cut into small discs
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 cup dried shrimp soaked for 15 minutes in warm water
- 1 medium onion finely diced
- 5 shiitake mushrooms diced (if using dried, soak in warm water until softened)
- 2 scallions chopped
- cilantro and roasted peanuts to garnish
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Cook the rice in a rice cooker. I suppose you could do it stovetop instead, but why?
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Combine the oyster sauce, soy sauces, fish sauce, sesame oil and salt in a small bowl. Heat a wok or frying [an over medium heat. Add the lap cheong; cook until crispy and it has rendered its fat. Add the garlic, shrimp, onion and mushrooms; cook until golden and fragrant.
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Add the rice and break it up with a spatula. Add the sauce and mix until well-combined. Taste for seasoning, and adjust if necessary.
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Mix in the scallions. If you want to get fancy (completely optional), you can pack the rice into a bowl rinsed in warm water and invert it onto a plate. Garnish with cilantro and peanuts, and serve hot.
Recipe adapted slightly from The Woks of Life.
If you want a higher rice to topping (the shiitake and lap cheong and such), you can increase the amount of white rice to 2 cups. Just be sure to adjust the seasoning quantities.
The quantities for the seasonings are merely suggestions; I typically eyeball anyways. Adjust to your tastes accordingly.
Such a delicious dish for a potluck! Like that you use dried shrimp. I gotta try this.
dried shrimp is so good! maybe a little unusual or scary looking or fragrant the first time you use it, but pretty easy to use (:
I’m not familiar with Chinese sausage but No Mai Fan certainly does look like yummy comfort food =) Thank you for the recipe!
it’s almost like salami! it’s pretty dense and dry. it crisps up beautifully in a pan, though my family also sometimes cooks it into rice. it’s a little bit healthier when you pan-fry it, though, since you can render and drain off some of the fat.