Cantonese sticky rice with Chinese sausage, shiitake mushrooms, dried shrimp, scallions and cilantro in a shallow bowl.

China • Regional Dish • Main Course

Cantonese Sticky Rice with Sausage (Lo Mai Fan)

Cook glutinous rice with Chinese sausage, shiitakes and dried shrimp, then stir-fry everything together for a savory Cantonese classic.

Servings6
Prep Time25 min
Cook Time30 min
DifficultyModerate
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Instructions

  1. Rinse the rice. Combine the glutinous and jasmine rice and rinse three times in cool water, gently stirring with your fingers. Drain thoroughly in a fine-mesh strainer for about 10 minutes.
  2. Rehydrate the dried ingredients. Rinse the dried shrimp and shiitake mushrooms separately, then cover each with warm water. Soak for 15-20 minutes, until softened. Drain well and finely dice the mushrooms.
  3. Prepare the mix-ins. Dice the Chinese sausage and cured pork belly into small, even pieces. Mince the garlic and slice the scallions. Chop the cilantro and set the greens aside.
  4. Cook the rice. Add the boiling water, 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce and salt to a rice cooker. Stir in the drained rice and cook using the standard white-rice setting. Let stand covered for 5 minutes after cooking.
  5. Start the stir-fry. Heat a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of oil, then add the garlic and dried shrimp. Stir-fry for about 30 seconds, until fragrant.
  6. Cook the meats and mushrooms. Add the Chinese sausage and cured pork belly. Stir-fry for 3-4 minutes, until hot and lightly browned around the edges. Add the mushrooms and cook for another minute.
  7. Season the filling. Add the light soy sauce, remaining dark soy sauce and white pepper. Toss for about 30 seconds, then transfer the mixture to a plate.
  8. Prepare the cooked rice. Fluff the rice gently with chopsticks or a rice paddle. Fold in 1 tablespoon neutral oil and the toasted sesame oil, taking care not to mash the grains.
  9. Stir-fry everything together. Return the wok to high heat and add the remaining tablespoon of oil. Add the rice and stir-fry for about 2 minutes. Return the sausage mixture and gently toss everything together for another 2-3 minutes. If the rice seems overly stiff, add 1-2 tablespoons hot water.
  10. Finish and serve. Remove from the heat and fold in most of the scallions and cilantro. Taste and adjust the soy seasoning if needed. Spoon into a warm serving bowl and finish with the reserved greens.

Technique reference: Made With Lau’s lo mai fan, including the glutinous and jasmine rice blend and the stir-fry finish with cured meats, mushrooms and dried shrimp.

Cultural Context

Lo mai fan is a Cantonese savory sticky-rice dish built around glutinous rice and intensely flavored preserved ingredients such as lap cheong, cured pork, dried shrimp and shiitake mushrooms. It differs from lo mai gai, the familiar dim sum parcel in which sticky rice and chicken are typically steamed in lotus leaves.

Made With Lau notes that the dish name may be heard as either lo mai fan or no mai fan because of a long-running Cantonese pronunciation shift. Like many preserved-meat dishes, it makes practical use of shelf-stable ingredients while turning them into something far richer than pantry food.

Fun Fact

Made With Lau mixes a small amount of jasmine rice into the glutinous rice. The reason is texture: sticky rice on its own can become very soft, while the jasmine rice adds enough structure to keep the finished dish chewy and distinct rather than overly dense.

Cook’s Tip

Chinese sausage, or lap cheong, gives the dish its characteristic sweet-savory richness; if unavailable, use another lightly sweet cured pork sausage, understanding the flavor will change. You can omit Chinese cured pork belly or replace it with a little extra sausage. Rehydrate dried shiitakes rather than using fresh mushrooms if possible, since the dried version brings much deeper flavor. Dried shrimp add concentrated seafood savoriness; omit them for a shellfish-free version. For gluten-free cooking, use certified gluten-free soy sauces and check sausage labels carefully, since traditional soy sauce commonly contains wheat.

Trivia

Despite its name, glutinous rice contains no gluten. “Glutinous” refers to its glue-like texture after cooking. Rice itself is naturally gluten-free, although soy sauce and some processed sausages in this recipe may contain wheat, so labels still matter for gluten-free cooking.

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