Lunar New Year Sticky Rice, Nuo Mi Fan

Step 1

Soak the shiitake mushrooms in 3 cups of water for at least 1 hour. Reserve the liquid. Squeeze out the water from the mushrooms and roughly chop them.

Step 2

Rinse 1 1/2 cups of rice about 3 times. Then let the rice soak in water for at least an hour, but overnight is better. Drain.

Step 3

In a pot on medium-high heat, sauté the shallots, garlic, ginger, and scallions in sesame oil for about 3 minutes, until soft and fragrant.

Step 4

Next, add the shiitake mushrooms to the pot. Stir and sauté for about 2 minutes. Then, add the sliced Chinese sausage. Sauté for an additional 2 minutes. In the meantime, season with salt and white pepper. About a teaspoon is good, but to taste is better.

Step 5

Mix in the oyster sauce, soy sauce, dried shrimp (or fish sauce), and rice wine until well combined. Add the rice and give it a good stir until everything is well incorporated.

Step 6

Add the 3 cups of mushroom water to the pot. If there's not a full 3 cups, make up the difference with water. When it starts to boil, set the heat to low, cover, and cook for about After it's done, remove from the heat, and season with more salt, if necessary.

Step 7

Garnish with about 1 tablespoon of the sliced scallions.