Cantonese No Mai Fan Savory Fried Steamed Sticky Rice Dish
No mai fan (also known as 'lo mai fan') is a traditional Cantonese dish made with steamed sticky rice. The rice is stir-fried and cooked in traditional clay pot, or “sand pot,” or Hong Kong wok (wok hei). A stunning array of umami savory bits such as chicken, mushrooms, lap cheong (Chinese sausage), dried shrimp, peanuts, fresh herbs and spices are added to the rice, which is allowed to cook slowly in a covered pan to allow the flavors to infuse into the rice. It is a unique and flavorsome dish which can be made in a single pot, such as a Dutch oven, rather than the traditional clay pot or wok. It is best made with glutinous or sticky rice, but you can use jasmine, Spanish rice, sushi rice or arborio rice as well. It is traditionally sticky, glossy and glutinous in texture and can be served as a snack or a yum cha dish.
Traditional Cantonese Sticky Rice Recepe (lo mai fan)
Ingredients
- 6 dried mushrooms
- 2 Chinese sausages
- some sweet soy sauce
- 1 stalk coriander, chopped
- 500 g (1 lb) glutinous rice
- 1 stalk spring onion, chopped
- 40 grams (1.5 oz) dried scallops
- 50 grams (1 3/4 oz) dried shrimps
Seasoning for rice
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 1-2 tablespoons sauce from steaming dried scallops or water
Method
Rinse the glutinous rice in water and soak for 4-6 hours and then drain well and set aside. Steam the Chinese sausages over high heat for 5 minutes. Allow to cool and then slice into small cubes. Next, soak dried mushrooms and shrimp until soft. Then, rinse the mushrooms, slice thinly and set aside. Rinse the dried scallops and soak in 1/2 cup hot water until soft. Steam the scallops in the soaking water for about 5-10 minutes. Then, use a fork to flake the scallops into shreds. Retain 1-2 tablespoons of the scallop liquid for seasoning for rice. Next, use a dry nonstick pan or Dutch oven to pan-fry the sausages , shrimps and mushrooms over moderate to high heat for about 3 minutes. No oil is needed because the oil from the sausage is sufficient. Then, add the sugar, salt, sweet soy sauce and water and mix well until all the liquid is absorbed, about 2 minutes, and set aside. Place the soaked and seasoned glutinous rice in a bamboo steamer lined with baking paper pricked with holes. Or you can use a piece of muslin or a cheese cloth to hold the rice while it is being steamed. Steam over high heat for 20 minutes. Use a spoon to carefully stir the rice so that it cooks evenly without tearing the parchment paper. Then, lower the heat to moderate and steam for another 30-40 minutes or until the glutinous rice is cooked. Transfer the rice to a deep pan or Dutch oven and place mushrooms and shrimps mixture on top of the rice. Continue cooking over moderate heat with the lid on for 5 minutes and then add the scallops and sausages. Cook for an additional 5 minutes over medium heat. Turn off heat, cover the pan and set aside for an additional 10-15 minutes . Drizzle some sweet soy sauce over the mixture and mix through. Serve hot, with a sprinkle of chopped spring onion, coriander, chilli and other herbs.
Modern Cantonese No Mai Fan Recipe Cooked in a Dutch Oven
Ingredients
- Kosher salt to taste
- 1/4 cup dark soy sauce
- 1 1/2 cups jasmine rice
- 1 cup thawed frozen peas
- 1 1/2 cups glutinous rice
- 2 tablespoons of oyster sauce
- 3 large shallots, thinly sliced
- 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 3 tablespoons grape seed or rice bran oil
- 1/2 cup sliced scallions, plus more for serving
- 4 lap cheong (Chinese sausage, such as Kam Yen Jan), chopped
- 1 pound (500 g) shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, finely chopped
- 3/4 cup (packed) cilantro leaves with tender stems, plus more for serving
Method
Rinse glutinous rice and jasmine rice in a medium bowl, using three or more changes of cold water, or until the water runs clear. Drain the rice well and set aside. Next, combine the garlic, shallots and oil in a small Dutch oven or large deep saucepan with a lid. Simmer over moderate to high heat, stirring frequently, until the shallots are tender and starting to brown, about 3 minutes. Reduce the heat setting to moderate. Add the lap cheong and mushrooms. Fry, stirring regularly, until the mushrooms are starting to brown, about 3 minutes. Add the oyster sauce, dark soy sauce, and the reserved rice and mix well. Then, pour in the broth, stir well, taste and season if required with salt or soy sauce. Bring the mixture to a brisk simmer, and then lower the heat to low. Cover and simmer gently until the rice is just cooked and tender (about 20–25 minutes). Remove the pot from the heat. Then, stir through the peas, half a cup of cilantro, and half a cup of scallions. Transfer the mixture to a serving platter and serve hot with extra cilantro and scallions sprinkled on top.
Cantonese Glutinous Rice Recipe with Preserved Pork Belly (lo mai fan)
Ingredients
- 2 spring onions
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 3-4 free range eggs
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 50 g (2 oz) fried peanuts
- 1/2 teaspoon chicken powder
- 2 Chinese sausages (lap cheong)
- 100 g (4 oz) preserved pork belly
- 2 tablespoons rice bran or grape seed oil
- 50 g (2 oz) dried prawns (soak in hot water for 20 minutes)
- 2 cups glutinous rice (soaked in cold water overnight or for at least 6 hours)
Method
Wash and strain the rice and dried prawns. Dice the pork belly and Chinese sausages. Slice the spring onions into short sections and beat eggs. Next, add 1/2 teaspoon chicken powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon sugar to the chicken stock and mix well to dissolve. Heat a wok or Dutch oven to medium hot. Add 1 tablespoon oil and when very hot add the diced Chinese sausages, pork belly and dry prawns. Stir-fry the mixture for 1-3 minutes. Then, add the rice and about one quarter of the chicken stock. Stir the mixture to ensure the rice absorbs the stock. When most of the liquid has been absorbed add another quarter of chicken stock. Repeating this process until all the stock is all used. Test the rice, and if not cooked, add some more chicken stock and keep stirring until the rice is cooked through. Then, remove the rice from the pan and set aside. Next, reheat the wok and add 1 tablespoon oil. When the oil is hot, add the beaten eggs. Once the eggs are cooked, add the sticky rice and mix well. Add the spring onions and peanuts and stir-fry for several minutes to combine the flavor. Serve on a large plate topped with coriander, other fresh herbs, peanuts and thin slice of chilli.
No Mi Fan - Savory Sticky Rice with Mushrooms and a Rich Soy Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoon sesame oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 scallions, thinly sliced
- 8 dried shiitake mushrooms
- 500 gram (1 pound) white sticky rice/white glutinous rice (Indonesian: beras ketan)
- 4 Chinese sausages (Indonesian: lap cheong), cut into 1 cm (1/4 inch) slices diagonally
For the Sauce (combine the following ingredients)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 4 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
- 4 tablespoon dark soy sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon ground white or black pepper, freshly ground
Method
Soak the shiitake mushrooms in 2 cups of hot water overnight, until soft and puffed up. The cut into the soft mushrooms into thin slices and reserve the soaking liquid. Soak the white sticky rice in cold water for at least 8 hours or overnight. Then drain through a sieve. Using a wok, deep heavy frying pan or Dutch oven, heat the sesame oil over high heat until the oil shimmers. Then, sauté the garlic and scallions until fragrant (about 2-4 minutes). Add the Chinese sausages and stir-fry for 1-2 minute. Add the shiitake mushrooms and stir for 1-2 minutes. Add the mixed sauce ingredients to the wok or pan and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Turn off heat and add the glutinous rice and stir until everything is well mixed. Place the rice mixture into a Dutch oven or a rice cooker bowl . Add 2 cups of shiitake soaking liquid into the pot to just cover the rice mixture entirely. Cook the rice in the Dutch oven or your rice cooker until the rice is just cooked. Remove the pan from the cooker, or take the Dutch oven off the heat. Set aside, covered for 10 minutes. Then, add the green parts of the scallions and some fresh herbs. Cover the pan with a lid and set aside for another 10 minutes. Stir the rice mixture with a wooden spoon to fluff up the rice. Serve immediately topped with red chilli slices, fresh herbs and roasted peanuts.