Club House shared with us this delicious recipe for Taiwanese-inspired Sticky Rice, courtesy of Pay Chen. This dish offers a fusion of textures and tastes that will transport your taste buds to Taiwan. Long grain glutinous rice is steamed to perfection, creating a soft yet slightly chewy base for a medley of ingredients, including tender shiitake mushrooms, crispy shallots, and aromatic spices like ginger and Chinese Five Spice. Finish it off with a drizzle of soy sauce, sesame oil, and a sprinkle of cashews and chestnuts for a mouthwatering dish that’s sure to satisfy your cravings.
Taiwanese-inspired Sticky Rice
Prep Time: 15 min
Cook Time: 45 min
Ingredients:
- 2 cups (400 g) long grain glutinous rice
- 2 cups (260 g) dried shiitake mushrooms
- 3 to 4 tablespoons (15 to 30 ml) canola oil Substitution Available
- 1 1/2 cups (375 ml) thinly sliced shallots
- 1 tablespoon (8 g) minced fresh ginger
- 1 1/2 teaspoons (7 ml) Garlic Powder
- 1/4 teaspoon (1 ml) Chinese Five Spice, optional
- 1/2 teaspoon (2 g) Pepper, Ground White
- 1 tablespoon (7 g) sugar
- 3 tablespoons (45 ml) soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) toasted sesame oil
- 1 cup (250 ml) plus 2 tablespoons (30 ml) mushroom water (from soaking shiitake mushrooms)
- 1/3 cup (40 g) roasted cashews
- 1/3 cup (50 g) sliced roasted chestnuts (see Tip)
Directions:
1. Soak glutinous rice in water for at least 4 to 6 hours up to overnight, making sure the water is at least 2 inches (5 cm) above the rice.
2. Bring a half-full pot of water to a boil, then lower to medium heat. Line a bamboo steamer with a piece of cheesecloth or a clean kitchen towel. Drain rice and spread evenly over cloth and poke as many holes as possible all over the rice to help the steam to circulate through. Tuck the sides of the cheesecloth into the steamer, place the steamer over the pot of simmering water. Cover with a lid and steam for 30 minutes.
3. Place shiitake mushrooms in a medium bowl and pour boiling water over them. Cover with plastic wrap or a plate to trap heat in. Set aside for 20 min until the mushrooms are soft and have doubled in size. Strain the liquid and save for later use. Remove stems and thinly slice the mushrooms.
4. While the rice is cooking, heat canola oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add shallots and fry until golden and crispy but not dark, about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside. In the same pan, add mushrooms and ginger. Stir and cook for 1 minute. Reduce heat, then add sesame oil, soy sauce, sugar, white pepper, garlic powder and Chinese five spice, if using. Stir, then add 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons mushroom liquid. Cover and simmer 3 to 5 minutes.
5. Add steamed rice and half of the shallots to pan. Stir to mix well, making sure all the rice is coated with the sauce. When mixing the steamed sticky rice with the mushrooms and sauce, make sure to fold and mix gently so the rice doesn’t get squished or broken. Turn off heat; cover and let it rest for 10 minutes. Fluff with fork and stir in cashews, chestnuts and remaining shallots. Garnish with cilantro leaves and sliced green onions, if desired.
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Tips:
– The longer the rice soaks, the less time it will take to cook. Make sure you soak it minimum 3 hours. If possible, soak the rice overnight!
– If rice is still a bit firm after steaming for 30 minutes, sprinkle a bit of water over top, cover and steam an additional 5 to 10 minutes.
– Cooked and peeled chestnuts are easily found in small snack-size bags in most Asian markets and other grocery stores.
– If you don’t have a bamboo steamer, you can use a large mesh colander. Just make sure the diameter is the same as the pot underneath it.
