Chinese Sticky Rice (Nuo Mi Fan)

The Rice
2 “cups” (Chinese rice cooker cups, which are 25% less than normal cups)
1 1/2 cup water
1 T soy sauce
1 T vegetable oil

In a rice cooker, combine the pre-soaked rice (drained), 1 1/2 cup water (or just fill it up to the level written on your rice cooker for 2 cups), 1 T soy sauce, and 1 T vegetable oil.  Cook rice according to the rice cooker’s instructions.

The “Goodies”

1/2 lb (225g) lean pork thinly sliced (e.g, pork loin)
3 T fried shallots
2T dried shrimp

Flavoring Agents
1/2 T cooking rice wine
2 T soy sauce
1/2 t salt
1 t sugar
1 T sesame oil

Soak the black mushrooms in hot water for about 10-15 minutes, until soft.  Slice into thin strips.  Heat 2 T oil in a wok. Add mushrooms, dried shrimp, and deep-fried shallots.  Stir fry until fragrant (1-2 minutes). Add the pork and cook until the pork becomes opaque.

Add the “flavoring agents” (rice wine, soy sauce, sugar, salt, and sesame oil) and stir to mix well.  Set aside until the rice is done in the rice cooker.  Once the rice is done, combine everything together and garnish with cilantro (optional).

Enjoy!

Note: Some people are really turned off by dried shrimp.  If you are one of those people, here is a modified recipe that works pretty well.
adapted from Homestyle Cooking of Taiwan by the members of NATWA

2 cups rice
5 dried mushrooms
10 slices of ginger
1/4 to 1/2 lb of pork 
1 1/4 cup hot water
2 T soy sauce

Crush the ginger slices in a plastic bag with a rolling pin (or heavy rock!) to release the ginger “juices.”  Heat 2 T sesame oil in a wok and brown the crushed ginger in the oil.  Once browned, remove the ginger slices.  Now saute the pork and mushrooms in the ginger flavored oil. Add soy sauce.

At this point, you can either add the cooked rice made from the above rice cooker method or add the soaked (but not yet cooked) rice to the wok.

If you add the cooked rice, then just combine with the “sauce” and serve.

If you add the soaked rice to the wok, proceed by adding 1/2 cup hot water.  Cover wok and cook at high heat for 2 minutes.  Stir again and add the remaining 3/4 cup of hot water.  Continue stirring until rice is cooked.  Cover wok and cook at low heat for an additional 10 minutes.  Serve.