Taiwanese sticky rice. This recipe involves steaming glutinous rice with marinated chicken, mushrooms and shrimp. The combination may seem particular, but the result is truly exquisite and does not even require too much work, as steam cooking does not have to be followed except for the times.
I had never tried glutinous rice in particular recipes, that did not consist in the simple steaming of white rice and its use as side-dish. But I must say that this recipe pleasantly surprised me and it will surely enter the list of my favorite oriental recipes.
Taiwanese sticky rice
Ingredients (4 people):
- 400g glutinous rice
- 400ml chicken stock (or vegetable / mushroom)
- 400g chicken breast
- 1-2 shallots (depending on size)
- 1 Tbsp of sesame oil
- 4 Tbsp soy sauce (2 chicken marinades + 2 for seasoning)
- 1 Tsp of ground white pepper
- 1 Tsp of brown sugar
- 3 Tbsp of dried shrimp
- 1 handful of dried Chinese black mushrooms
- 1 Tbsp of oyster sauce
- 2 Tbsp of seed oil
- Chopped parsley (optional)
Directions:
- First, soak the rice in a bowl with plenty of cold water. It will have to rest for at least 3 hours. It is okay if it stays in the water all night, but a minimum of 3 hours is necessary to obtain an optimal consistency in cooking.
- Then marinate the chicken with 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, 1 teaspoon of white pepper, 1 tablespoon of sesame oil and 1 teaspoon of sugar.
- Soak the mushrooms in plenty of water. I recommend not to exaggerate with the quantities, if you use dried black mushrooms. Even if when dried they will seem few to you, as they increase a lot in volume once soaked. Let both the mushrooms and the chicken rest for at least half an hour.
- In a pan, add 2 tablespoons of seed oil and the shallot, after having peeled and finely sliced it. Sauté for 1-2 minutes over medium heat, until golden.
- Then, he adds the sliced Chinese mushrooms and the dehydrated shrimp. Fry for 2-3 minutes.
- At this point, add also the chicken, after having cut it into strips and sauté for another 2-3 minutes. It is not important to clean the marinade completely, but do not pour all the remaining sauce in the pan, to avoid that it becomes too peppery and salty.
- Season with 2 tablespoons of soy sauce and 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce. Add the drained glutinous rice and mix well.
- Add the chicken, or vegetable / mushroom broth. Gently stir the rice until the broth has been completely absorbed. Be careful not to break the rice, it will take about 3-5 minutes.
- Then cover the steamer with parchment paper or lotus leaves. Alternatively you can also use a rice cooker, but the result with the steamer is better. Make holes in the rice with a stick to let the air through, do as much as you can.
- Finally, steam for 20 minutes, without ever lifting the lid. Turn off the heat and serve, if desired with an additional sprinkling of parsley, to make it fresher.
