Cooking Lab - Taiwanese Sesame Oil Sticky Rice (台灣黃金三寶油飯)

This sesame oil scented sticky rice is utterly delicious. The appearance of this special dish is usually reserved for special occasions. 

The glutinous texture of the rice mixed with the salty essence of fried onion is so intensely flavoursome. Together with the meaty pork, earthy mushrooms and the fragrant sesame oil; without a doubt, this is the ultimate culinary delight. 

Ingredients:

- 3 cups of glutinous rice 
- 150g shiitake mushrooms 
- 350g pork belly slices 
- 200g fresh eschalot 
- 50g dried shrimps 
- 50g dried squid 
- 3 tablespoon soya sauce 
- 3 tablespoon cooking oil 
- 1 tablespoon cooking wine 
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil 
- 2 teaspoon rock sugar 
- 2 teaspoon salt 
- 10g salt 
- 10g rock sugar 
- 5g white pepper 
- 10ml sweet chili sauce 

Instructions:

1. Soak the glutinous rice in water for 2 hours.

2. Soak the dried squid for 1 hour or until soften.

To prepare the Fried Eschalot Oil: 

3. Finely dice the eschalots.

4. Heat 3 tablespoon of oil in a large wok on medium heat, and cook the diced eschalots.

5. Gently fried the eschalots until they are golden.

6.  Remove and set aside.

   7. Using the same pan, add the pork stripes and cook until the fat is rendered out.

   8. Season with white pepper.

   9. Remove when the pork stripes turn golden.

  10. In a separate pan, shallowly pan-fried the shiitake mushrooms.

11. Braised the pork stripes in soy sauce, cooking wine, salt and sugar.

12. Add in the dried shrimps and squid slices.

13. Let it simmer for a little while so the meat and mushroom absorb all the flavours.

14. Add in the fried eschlots.

15. Mix well to combine.

16. Simmer for a further 10 minutes.

17. Add in the glutinous rice and combine well with the sauce.

You should get this delicious golden soy braised sauce. Your kitchen should smell very fragrant.

    18. Place the rice into a steamer and steam on high heat for 40 minutes or until the glutinous rice is soften and taste chewy.

19. Leave the glutinous rice in the steamer for a further 10 minutes to cool.

20. Lightly drizzle sesame oil at the top to give fragrance and that glistering look.

21. Serve with coriander garnishes and sweet chili sauce.

Home-made sticky rice is just utterly delicious. It is generously covered with fried shrimps, squids and mushrooms. Sometime the simplest things in life often are the best.