Lo Mai Fan (Sticky Rice with Chinese Sausage)

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Big Cantonese flavor in a cozy, chewy bowl: sweet-smoky lap cheong, umami mushrooms, and briny dried shrimp.
• One-pan friendly: the wok absorption method delivers glossy, tender sticky rice without a separate steamer.
• Flexible and forgiving: add a splash of water as you go to hit the perfect texture.
• Great for make-ahead and reheats beautifully for lunches or weeknights.

Grocery List

• Produce: Scallions, garlic, fresh ginger, optional cilantro (for garnish)
• Dairy: None
• Pantry: Glutinous (sticky) rice, dried shiitake mushrooms, dried shrimp, Chinese sausages (lap cheong), light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, Shaoxing wine, white pepper, toasted sesame oil, neutral oil, sugar, optional fried shallots or chili crisp

Full Ingredients

Rice

• 2 cups (400 g) glutinous rice (also labeled sweet rice or sticky rice)

Meats and Seafood

• 2 Chinese sausages (lap cheong; 130–150 g total), thinly sliced on a diagonal
• 2 tbsp (20 g) dried shrimp, soaked 15 minutes in hot water, drained and roughly chopped

Mushrooms and Aromatics

• 6 dried shiitake mushrooms (about 30 g), soaked 30 minutes in hot water, stems removed, diced
• 3 scallions, white and green parts separated and thinly sliced
• 2 cloves garlic (8 g), minced
• 1 tsp fresh ginger, minced
• 2 tbsp (30 ml) neutral oil (peanut, canola, or sunflower)

Seasoned Cooking Liquid

• 2 tbsp (30 ml) light soy sauce
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) dark soy sauce (for color and depth)
• 1 1/2 tbsp (22 ml) oyster sauce
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) Shaoxing wine
• 1 tsp (4 g) sugar
• 1/4 tsp ground white pepper
• 1/2 tsp toasted sesame oil (plus 1/2 tsp to finish)
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) strained mushroom soaking liquid
• 1 cup (240 ml) hot water or low-sodium chicken stock, plus up to 1/4 cup (60 ml) more as needed

To Finish

• Remaining 1/2 tsp toasted sesame oil
• Reserved sliced scallion greens
• Optional: 2 tbsp fried shallots, chili crisp, or cilantro leaves

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Rinse and soak the rice

Place the glutinous rice in a bowl and rinse under cool water, swishing with your fingers, until the water runs mostly clear (about 4–5 changes). Cover with fresh water by 1 inch and soak for 4 hours. Drain thoroughly in a fine-mesh sieve for 5–10 minutes so the grains aren’t waterlogged.

Step 2: Rehydrate and prep the flavor boosters

Cover dried shiitakes with hot water and soak for 30 minutes. Cover dried shrimp with hot water and soak for 15 minutes. Drain both (reserve 1/2 cup of the mushroom soaking liquid and strain it through a fine sieve or coffee filter). Dice the mushrooms and roughly chop the shrimp. Slice scallions, separating whites and greens; mince the garlic and ginger.

Step 3: Mix the seasoned cooking liquid

In a measuring jug, combine light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, Shaoxing wine, sugar, white pepper, 1/2 tsp sesame oil, the 1/2 cup strained mushroom liquid, and 1 cup hot water or stock. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Keep an additional 1/4 cup hot water nearby for adjustments.

Step 4: Render the sausage and bloom aromatics

Heat a large wok (or deep skillet with lid) over medium-high heat. Add 1 tsp of the neutral oil, then the lap cheong. Stir-fry 2–3 minutes until the edges lightly brown and some fat renders. Push sausage to the edges. Add the remaining oil to the center along with mushrooms, dried shrimp, garlic, and scallion whites; stir-fry 60–90 seconds until fragrant.

Step 5: Toast the rice

Add the well-drained sticky rice to the wok. Stir-fry for 2 minutes, turning and pressing to coat every grain in the aromatic fat. The rice should look glossy with slightly translucent edges.

Step 6: Cook by absorption

Pour in half of the seasoned cooking liquid and stir until mostly absorbed. Add the remaining half, reduce heat to medium, and cover. Cook for 8–10 minutes, uncovering every 2–3 minutes to stir and scrape the bottom so nothing sticks. If the rice looks dry yet still chalky in the center, sprinkle in hot water 1 tbsp at a time (up to 1/4 cup total) and continue cooking until the grains are translucent and pleasantly chewy.

Step 7: Finish, rest, and serve

Turn off the heat. Fold in the scallion greens and the remaining 1/2 tsp sesame oil. Cover and rest 5 minutes to let the steam even out the texture. Fluff gently and serve hot, topped with fried shallots or a dab of chili crisp if you like.

Pro Tips

• Drain the soaked rice thoroughly. Excess surface water makes the rice gummy rather than pleasantly sticky.
• Slice lap cheong on a diagonal for more surface area to crisp and render quickly.
• Use hot water or hot stock in the seasoned liquid to maintain wok temperature and help the rice absorb evenly.
• If your wok lacks a lid, cover with a large sheet of foil or use a skillet with a tight-fitting lid.
• Stop adding liquid as soon as the rice is tender; extra water can make it clumpy. Resting 5 minutes at the end perfects the texture.

Variations

• Chicken and peanut festival style: Stir-fry 1/2 lb (225 g) diced boneless chicken thigh with 1 tsp soy and a pinch of salt until just cooked, then proceed with the recipe. Add 1/4 cup roasted peanuts at the end.
• Vegetarian: Omit lap cheong and dried shrimp. Double the shiitakes, add 1/2 cup diced water chestnuts, and use mushroom stock for deep umami.
• Steamed lo mai fan (no-stir method): Toss soaked, drained rice with the sauce and mix-ins. Spread in a heatproof, lightly oiled dish (9-inch square). Steam, covered, over boiling water for 40–45 minutes, stirring once halfway, until tender.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Cool leftovers quickly, then refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat with a splash of water: microwave covered on medium power for 1–2 minutes per serving, or re-steam 8–10 minutes. Freeze up to 2 months; thaw overnight in the fridge, then reheat as above. Make-ahead tips: soak and drain rice up to 8 hours ahead (refrigerate, covered), and prep all mix-ins up to 24 hours ahead.

Nutrition (per serving)

Approximate: 540 calories; 17 g fat; 78 g carbohydrates; 13 g protein; 2 g fiber; 850 mg sodium.