Chinese Sticky Rice

Chinese sticky rice also known as lo mai fan in Cantonese is made of sticky, glutinous rice, shiitake mushrooms, dried seafood, Chinese sausage and Chinese cured meat. It’s savory, chewy, super fragrant, and full of umami! It’s often served at dim sum and for Lunary New Year but is also great for meal prepping! Enjoy it with some Chinese smashed cucumber salad for a refreshing bite in between or pair it with some bok choy with oyster sauce or Chinese broccoli stir fry to complete the meal. 

When I was growing up, my Chinese family celebrated Thanksgiving like everyone else, but what appeared at the dinner table was never the same. It was always a potluck affair; sometimes there would be no traditional Thanksgiving food at all, or some years we would go all in on roast turkey and the classic side dishes. There was one constant, though: My grandmother would always bring a rice cooker full of Chinese sticky rice as her contribution. Even after she passed away, my aunt took over the task and we’d always have what we call noh mei fan in Cantonese. This steamed sticky rice was full of sweet Chinese sausage, mushrooms, dried shrimp, peas, and scallions, and I would always make sure to load my plate up with it.

The sticky rice also showed up at most of the family gatherings the rest of the year, and I suspect it’s because it was a filling dish that could stay warm in the rice cooker, and was a bit more special than a pot of plain white rice. I always associate this dish with my family, and now I make it for my rice-loving daughter (although I steam the rice on the stovetop rather than use a rice cooker for a better texture). While it can be eaten as a side dish, I usually serve it for dinner with a side of stir-fried bok choy for a comforting meal that always makes me think of my extended family.

Why You’ll Love Chinese Sticky Rice

  • It’s fragrant and comforting. As the rice steams, it gets infused with the flavors of Chinese sausage and mushrooms, and transforms into a comforting, hearty dish.
  • Most of the cooking is hands-off. There’s a little soaking and stir-frying you have to do first, but once you get the rice into the steamer, just let it cook and you can move onto doing something else.

Key Ingredients in Chinese Sticky Rice

  • Sticky rice: This rice gets its name from its sticky texture when cooked. It’s also labeled as sweet or glutinous rice (even though the rice is actually naturally gluten-free). For this recipe, use long-grain sticky rice; I generally like the brands from Thailand. Make sure to soak in water before using.
  • Chinese sausage: This cured sweet sausage (sometimes labeled lap xuong or lap cheong) is usually made of pork and found vacuum-sealed at room temperature in Asian grocery stores. There are many varieties, including ones made with pork liver or poultry, but I prefer the regular version for sticky rice. Refrigerate the sausage once opened, and use up leftovers in fried rice or on a Chinese bao board.
  • Shiitake mushrooms: I always have dried shiitake mushrooms in my pantry because they last seemingly forever; they just need a soak to soften up before cooking. Snap off the stems if you can first so they soak more evenly. You can use six large fresh shiitake mushrooms instead of dried — just skip the soaking and dice them up first.
  • Dried shrimp: Although this is an optional ingredient, it’s one my family always includes. These very small shrimp are usually about 3/4-inch long, and you’ll find them in well-stocked Asian grocery stores or smaller Chinese stores that specialize in dried seafood and herbs.

How to Make Chinese Sticky Rice

  1. Soak the ingredients. Soak sweet rice in water for at least 4 hours so that the hydration process begins and the rice steams up more quickly and evenly. An hour before you plan to cook, soak dried shiitake mushrooms and dried shrimp together, which will soften them and make it possible to cut them into smaller pieces.
  2. Stir-fry the aromatics. Start by cooking the Chinese sausage first so some of the flavorful fat renders out, then add in the mushrooms, dried shrimp, and scallion white and light green parts.
  3. Mix the rice together. Stir the soaked rice, stir-fried ingredients, salt, white pepper, and oyster sauce together in a bowl.
  4. Steam the sticky rice. Transfer the mixture to a cheesecloth-lined steamer. The wider the steamer, the faster the rice will steam, so I like to use a 10-inch steamer on my 14-inch, flat-bottomed wok. Use your fingers or chopsticks to poke holes in the rice so that steam can come up through many spots to help cook the rice. Steam until the rice is cooked through.
  5. Finish the sticky rice. Scatter some frozen peas over the sticky rice and let them warm through off the heat. Stir everything together with the dark green scallion parts before serving.
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