Fragrant sticky rice blends various flavors together: scallion oil, soy sauce, sausage, and pate. This Vietnamese street food is a great treat enjoyed at any time of the day.
This recipe serves about 6 to 8 people, takes approximately 60 minutes to prepare, and provides around 2,390 calories in total.
Ingredients
– 1kg sticky rice. Recommended varieties include yellow flower sticky rice, Tu Le sticky rice, or Dien Bien sticky rice. When choosing sticky rice, aim for an opaque white color, even round grains, a glossy texture, and a fragrant smell reminiscent of new rice.
– 100 ml coconut milk
– 100 g sausage
– 50 g dried shrimp
– 50 g Chinese sausage
– 100 g pork floss
– 100 g pate
– 1/2 carrot (optional)
– 1 cup fried shallots
– 1 bunch scallions
– Shallots, garlic
– Spices: Soy sauce, sugar, salt, stock powder, pepper
– Chicken fat or cooking oil
1. Preparation
a. Prepare the sticky rice
– Wash the sticky rice thoroughly.
– Soak the washed sticky rice in cold water for 6 – 8 hours. The soaking time depends on the type of rice and helps it hydrate and become soft.
– Alternatively, if you’re short on time, you can soak the rice in warm water for about 4 hours.
– After soaking, pour the sticky rice into a basket to drain excess water.
– Sprinkle the drained rice with 1/2 teaspoon of salt to add flavor.
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| Sticky rice is drained after being washed. Photo by VnExpress/Bui Thuy |
b. Prepare the ingredients
Depending on your taste preferences, adjust the toppings for the savory sticky rice.
– Soak dried shrimp in warm water, then take them out and drain.
– Cut sausage into bite-sized pieces. Opt for dry Chinese sausage, as fresh variety may impart a slightly sour taste that isn’t ideal.
– Boil the Chinese sausage with water, and cut it into bite-sized pieces.
– Peel carrots and cut them into small cubes.
– Wash scallions and slice them into pieces.
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| Toppings for this dish often include sausages and Chinese sausages, dried shrimps, pork floss, topped with fried shallots and green onions. Photo by VnExpress/Bui Thuy |
2. Cooking process
a. Sauté the ingredients
– Put a small amount of cooking oil in the pan.
– Fry the Chinese sausage until it’s slightly browned.
– Continue by frying shallots and garlic until they become fragrant.
– Add dried shrimp, followed by the sausage and carrots.
– Stir-fry the mixture for a few minutes, then season it with a bit of soy sauce, sugar, and stock powder according to taste.
– Scoop out the mixture and set it aside.
– Heat up the pan again, add a little bit of oil.
– Add scallions and stir-fry for 30 seconds or until softened.
– Take the scallion oil out and set aside.
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| A mixture of stir-fried sausages, Chinese sausage, and dried shrimps. Photo by VnExpress/Bui Thuy |
b. Cook the sticky rice
Cook the rice twice, ensure it is evenly heated, helps maintain its softness for an extended period. If there’s any leftover rice, store it in the refrigerator preserves its soft texture. When reheating it in the microwave later, the rice will still be soft.
First cooking:
– Boil water (1/3 of the pot) for the first round of cooking.
– Spread the soaked sticky rice into the pan.
– Poke a few large holes to let the heat escape during cooking.
– Cover the rice with a cloth to prevent water from stagnating and making the sticky rice soggy.
– Stir occasionally until the sticky rice cooks evenly.
– After 35 minutes, when the sticky rice is 70 – 80% cooked, scoop it out into a basket or tray, spread it evenly, and then fan to cool.
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| Sticky rice is left to cool after being cooked for the first time. Photo by VnExpress/Bui Thuy |
Second cooking:
– Pour coconut milk into the partially cooked sticky rice.
– Optionally, add a little chicken fat and mix well for a richer flavor.
– Continue cooking for another 10 minutes until the sticky rice grains become plump and shiny.
– Add the previously prepared stir-fried ingredients (sausage, Chinese sausage, carrots) and stir well.
– Continue cooking for another 7-8 minutes to blend the sweet and fragrant taste.
– Scoop out the sticky rice, if available, spread the rice into banana leaves. Then add green onions, pate, and pork floss.
3. Finished product
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| A serving of savory sticky rice is often topped with lots of fried shallots, pork floss and scallion oil. Photo by VnExpress/Bui Thuy |
The sticky rice is served hot. Each individual grain of the rice has a shiny appearance and emits a pleasant fragrance. The stickiness of the rice is retained even after it has been cooked for an extended period.
When the hot sticky rice is wrapped in banana leaves, it contributes to a cohesive and blended overall experience.
Dried shrimp, sausage, and scallion oil contribute to a balanced taste, with a hint of saltiness from the soy sauce. There’s a subtle sweetness added by the pork floss, and a bit of richness comes from the pate.
