Sticky rice stuffing is one in all my favourite Thanksgiving aspect dishes. My household typically serves it throughout New Yr celebrations and particular events. The rice grains are crisp across the edges, with a comfortable and chewy heart. It’s filled with savory shiitake mushrooms, buttery chestnuts, and candy Chinese language sausage, all stir-fried in fragrant shallot oil.
I grew up having fun with this dish, and in Taiwan, it’s additionally given as a present to rejoice the primary month of a new child’s life, symbolizing luck and well being. It’s the right aspect dish to share with family members, and I’ll present you the way simple it’s to make at dwelling!
Principal ingredient notes
To make genuine Chinese language sticky rice stuffing, you’ll want a couple of specialty components. Happily, these are simple to seek out at your native Chinese language grocery retailer or on-line. I’ve included product hyperlinks within the recipe card beneath to make gathering every little thing tremendous simple, with gluten-free choices too!
Chinese language sausages (Lap Xuong / Lap Cheong)
These Chinese language sausages are cured and dried, giving them a agency texture and a sweet-salty taste. Whereas technically suitable for eating after gentle steaming, they’re normally pan-fried, steamed, or simmered with different components to launch their flavorful oils and flavoring dishes like sticky rice stuffing.
Sticky rice (Glutinous Rice / Candy Rice)
Sticky rice offers the dish its signature chewy texture. Each Thai long-grain and Japanese/Korean short-grain varieties work. I like to recommend cooking it individually from the stuffing to stop it from getting mushy. My go-to methodology is no soaking — I prepare dinner the sticky rice in a rice cooker or make sticky rice in a microwave so it’s very easy and quick,
Dried shiitake mushrooms
Dried shiitake mushrooms are key to getting that deep, earthy umami. The soaking liquid from these mushrooms is important for the sauce and offers it a wealthy, savory taste you simply can’t get with contemporary mushrooms.
Roasted and peeled chestnuts
These scrumptious bites add a candy, nutty, and buttery contact to the rice. I purchase ready-to-eat ones that come vacuum-sealed (I normally seize mine from Entire Meals, however they’re accessible on-line too). Bonus—they make an superior snack on their very own!
Chinese language cooking wine
Chinese language cooking wine is a broad class, however the most typical sorts are Shaoxing wine (绍兴酒) and Mijiu (米酒)—typically referred to as Taiwanese rice wine (Michu). They add delicate sweetness and complexity to dishes.
- Gluten-free substitutes: Use dry sherry or gluten-free Japanese sake. Go to my Gluten-Free Chinese language Pantry Staples web page for every little thing you should refill!
Tip
Vegetarian model
Skip the Chinese language sausage and swap it with one other mushroom selection like king oyster mushrooms for a hearty chunk. You too can go together with vegetarian Asian sausages created from tofu or tempeh, flavored with soy sauce, rice wine, and five-spice powder to present it that very same chewy texture and daring taste.
The best way to make sticky rice stuffing
Making sticky rice into stuffing would possibly sound fancy, however it’s really simpler than you suppose! Each the rice and mushrooms may be ready prematurely, making it an incredible time-saving dish.
- Soak the Mushrooms: Soak dried shiitake mushrooms in a single day in room temperature water. Save the soaking liquid for the sauce.
- Cook dinner the Sticky Rice: Use both a rice cooker or a microwave—no soaking required. Cook dinner it forward for simple meeting. See my full recipe card beneath for more information.
- Make Crispy Shallots: In a chilly pan, add oil and sliced shallots. Fry on medium warmth, stirring with chopsticks, till golden brown. Take away the shallots and depart the oil within the pan.
- Sauté the Sausage: Use the shallot oil to fry sausage slices for two minutes on medium warmth.
- Cook dinner the Aromatics and Mushrooms: Add garlic and ginger to the pan, adopted by shiitake mushrooms and chestnuts. Stir for a few minutes till aromatic.
- Deglaze the Pan: Add a splash of cooking wine and scrape any brown bits from the underside of the pan for additional taste.
- Mix the Rice and Sauce: Add the cooked rice and pour within the sauce. Gently toss every little thing to coat evenly with out smashing the rice grains. Sprinkle the crispy shallots over the rice and blend them in.
- Non-compulsory Bake for Crispiness. Bake the dish uncovered at 400°F (204°C) for 10 minutes to get crispy edges.
- Garnish and Serve: Sprinkle with diced scallions or cilantro. Serve scorching or heat.
Ideas
Decrease rice sticking to the pan
Sticky rice tends to stay to the underside of the pan due to its nature, however right here’s easy methods to decrease it:
- Cook dinner the sticky rice individually then mix with the stuffings.
- Use sufficient oil, together with oil from the sausage, to maintain the components moist.
- Cook dinner on mild warmth to stop burning.
- Some brown bits on the backside are fascinating, including a crispy, nutty crunch—just like Spanish paella or Korean scorching stone rice (bibimbap).
- Regulate the warmth and take away it from the range when the rice turns golden brown.
Make-ahead and storage
- Make-Forward: Put together the sticky rice 2-3 days prematurely and retailer it within the fridge.
- Reheating: Switch the rice to a microwave-safe bowl, drizzle with 1 tbsp water, and canopy loosely. Microwave on excessive for 1 minute. Flip the rice from backside to high, then microwave one other 30 seconds to 1 minute till comfortable and sticky.
- Storage: Retailer leftover sticky rice stuffing in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as 3-4 days. Use the identical reheating methodology—add water, stir, and microwave once more till the grains are comfortable and sticky.
Facet pairing concepts
To stability the wealthy taste of this dish, I like to recommend pairing with gentle and refreshing sides. Listed below are a few of my household’s favorites:
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ChihYu’s Useful Notes
- Maximize Mushroom Taste: Soak dried shiitake mushrooms in a single day to totally rehydrate, and use the soaking liquid to present the sauce deep umami taste.
- Good Rice Texture: Cook dinner sticky rice individually to stop it from turning into mushy and to make mixing with different components simpler.
- Maintain It Moist: Use loads of oil, together with oil from the sausage, to maintain the rice moist and scale back sticking—these crispy bits on the backside are a tasty bonus!
- Decrease Rice Sticking: To scale back sticking, guarantee there’s sufficient oil, prepare dinner on mild warmth, and revel in some crispy bits—they add a scrumptious crunch, like in Spanish paella or Korean scorching stone rice (bibimbap).
- Add Crunchy Edges: Bake at 400°F for 10 minutes to get crispy edges that give the dish an additional layer of texture and taste.
Extra Asian-inspired Thanksgiving recipes
Trying to carry some Asian flavors to your Thanksgiving desk? These dishes are good for including a singular taste to your vacation feast whereas nonetheless holding issues cozy and scrumptious.
Recipe Card
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Prep:
Soak the dried shiitake in a single day: In a big bowl or container, add the dried shiitake with 2 to 2.5 cups of room temperature water. Organize the mushrooms to have stems aspect dealing with down. Loosely cowl the bowl and allow them to soak in a single day in a cool spot by the kitchen counter.
Save the broth: After the mushrooms are rehydrated, gently squeeze them to take away extra water. Use a sieve or strainer to empty the mushrooms, reserving the soaking liquid for cooking.
Slice shiitake: For big shiitake, slice it into small bits. For small shiitake, slice it. For mini child sized, you’ll be able to depart them in entire.
- Cook dinner sticky rice (no soaking wanted): You possibly can both use my rice cooker methodology or my microwave methodology.
Prep aromatics, sausage, chestnuts: Put together the shallot, garlic, ginger. Slice the sausage into small rounds. Roughly chop the cooked chestnuts.
Mix the sauce: In a big measuring cup, stir collectively the components from soy sauce to 5 spice powder.
Preheat the oven: When you plan on baking the rice in step 16, preheat it to 400°F (204°C).
Make crispy shallot and shallot oil:
In an oven secure 15-inch extensive forged iron skillet or braiser, begin the pan chilly, add 6 tbsp oil and shallot, fry the shallot over medium to medium-low warmth. Use a pair of chopsticks to separate the strands and flip typically till the shallots flip golden brown, about 9-10 minutes.
Switch the shallot out and depart the oil behind.
Aromatics, shiitake, Chestnuts:
Use medium to medium-low warmth, add the garlic and ginger. Stir for 10 seconds then add the shiitake. Saute for two minutes. Take care to not burn the garlic.
Add the chestnuts and toss to mix for 1 minute.
Add sticky rice:
Add the cooked sticky rice and pour within the sauce. Gently toss the rice to mix with the sauce. Attempt to not smash the rice grains however fairly toss from the underside as much as coat the sauce evenly over the rice.
Season with white pepper. Style and add extra salt if wanted. Return the crispy shallot to the pan and sprinkle it throughout.
Non-compulsory bake:
To make the rice crispy, ship the skillet to the oven, uncovered, Bake at 400°F (204 °C), center rack, for 10 minutes.
- Utilizing a Kitchen Scale: Dried shiitake mushrooms fluctuate in weight, so it’s useful to weigh them for precision. For 1.4 oz –
- Massive caps: 6-8 items
- Small caps: 12-16 items
- Why Dried Shiitake Over Contemporary: Contemporary shiitake mushrooms take up extra oil, making the dish greasy and the sticky rice susceptible to sticking to the skillet. Dried shiitake supplies a stronger, extra genuine taste.
- Chinese language/Taiwanese Sausage Substitution: These sausages launch flavorful oils when fried. If substituting, go for a fattier, sweeter sausage like chorizo (discover gluten-free chorizo choices right here).
- Soaking Dried Shiitake: Soak in room temperature water in a single day or as much as 24 hours. Pressure the soaking liquid and use it as inventory—it’s loaded with umami and pure MSG. Don’t discard it! (See our information on easy methods to use dried shiitake mushrooms.)
- Ideas: Decrease Rice Sticking to the Pan: Sticky rice tends to stay to the underside of the pan on account of its nature, however right here’s easy methods to decrease it:
- Use sufficient oil, together with oil from the sausage, to maintain the components moist.
- Cook dinner on mild warmth to stop burning.
- Some brown bits on the backside are fascinating, including a crispy, nutty crunch—just like Spanish paella or Korean scorching stone rice (bibimbap).
- Crispy vs. Burnt Rice: Crispy brown rice provides a nutty, savory crunch, however burnt rice tastes bitter and harsh. Regulate the warmth and take away it from the range when the rice turns golden brown for good crispiness.
- Really helpful Cookware: If utilizing the oven, a large, shallow, oven-safe braiser works greatest. Take a look at the forged iron braiser I take advantage of right here.
- Make-Forward: Put together the sticky rice 2-3 days prematurely and retailer it within the fridge.
- Reheating: Switch the rice to a microwave-safe bowl, drizzle with 1 tbsp water, and canopy loosely. Microwave on excessive for 1 minute. Flip the rice from backside to high, then microwave one other 30 seconds to 1 minute till comfortable and sticky.
- Storage: Retailer leftover sticky rice stuffing in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as 3-4 days. Use the identical reheating methodology—add water, stir, and microwave once more till the grains are comfortable and sticky.
Serving: 1serving, Energy: 342kcal, Carbohydrates: 47g, Protein: 6g, Fats: 15g, Saturated Fats: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fats: 2g, Monounsaturated Fats: 8g, Ldl cholesterol: 10mg, Sodium: 537mg, Potassium: 283mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 107IU, Vitamin C: 13mg, Calcium: 26mg, Iron: 1mg
Vitamin data is robotically calculated, so ought to solely be used as an approximation.