Nuo Mi Fan
This is positively splendid! It’s umami, earthy, spicy…I could go on, but I’d rather just dig in!
you're making mealtime meaningful.
Sticky rice is one of my side dishes at my go-to spot for takeout. Sure, sticky rice is easy to make at home but I don’t often make it. If I’m going to make sticky rice, I prefer to make Nuo Mi Fan. Nuo Mi Fan is on another level of deliciousness. It’s packed with savory, umami flavor that elevates the simple sticky rice to a whole new platform of greatness. Muo Mi Fan is exactly what I’m looking for to round out my homemade Chinese takeout-themed menu.
The secret (not really a secret, per se) to making sticky rice sticky is to soak it for at least two hours, if not longer. Soaking the rice is what helps to make it sticky. It softens the grain of the rice and helps it absorb more water to achieve that essential textural stickiness. Don’t skip this step if you want to have perfectly, evenly cooked sticky rice!
Essential to the flavors of a good nuo mi fan is Chinese sausage, for comparison, think (but don’t compare) along the lines of Spanish chorizo; similar in concept but different in flavor. The rice and the mushrooms – flavor sponges, I like to call them – will absorb both flavor and color released from the sausage. It will add a bit of spicy heat, too!
Umami is that savory flavor we perhaps best recognize in the taste of soy sauce. I’m using two soy sauces here, one light and one dark. This dish is about balance and the two sauces do have different profiles of flavor. Too much of one or the other would affect the overall taste experience, so that’s why I’m using have light and dark sauces here. The difference might seem small but it’s not insignificant!
Ok, I’ve sautéed my sausage and mushrooms, and I’ve added a bit of garlic and some dried shrimp, too. The shrimp brings just a pop of sweetness to the rice. Once my sautéed ingredients are done, I douse the pan with water to deglaze and scrape up any and every bit of flavor that I possibly can. The rice has been prepared to absorb this beautiful flavor!
The Instant Pot does the rest of the work. It’s a kitchen device that works absolute magic and nuo mi fan is another achievement. Ok, let’s dish up! I want a pop of freshness in flavor and color at the end, so I scatter some chopped green onion and cilantro over the top. Oh my goodness! This is positively splendid! It’s umami, earthy, spicy…I could go on, but I’d rather just dig in and enjoy a beautiful bowl of nuo mi fan!
Nuo Mi Fan is a delicious side to Chinese Pan-Fried Dumplings, Szechuan Stir-Fried Green Beans, Cantonese Char Siu, and Homemade Fortune Cookies.
Nuo Mi Fan
Yield(s): Serves 6-8
15m prep time
30m cook time
2h inactive
you're making mealtime meaningful.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 4 oz. Chinese sausage, diced
- 8 oz. shiitake mushrooms, sliced
- 1 oz. dried shrimp
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 cups sticky rice, soaked for 2 hours
- 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons light soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 6 1/4 cups water, divided
- 1 cup green onion, sliced thin
- 1 cup cilantro, chopped
Preparation
- Soak the rice in 4 cups of water for 2 hours, then drain the rice and add it directly to the Instant Pot.
- Meanwhile, sauté Chinese sausage and sliced mushrooms in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Stir often and cook until the Chinese sausage begins to brown and the mushrooms start to caramelize.
- Add dried shrimp and garlic to the pan, cook for 1 minute.
- Reduce heat to low, then add dark soy sauce, light soy sauce, and salt to the pan.
- Deglaze the pan with 2 1/4 cups of water, use a wooden spoon to help scrape off any brown bits from the bottom of the sauté pan. These brown bits are flavor!
- Pour the contents of the sauté pan into the Instant Pot, directly over the rice. Cover the lid and set to the "Rice" setting for 12 minutes.
- Prepare a sheet tray for the rice to cool.
- Carefully release the pressure cooker and transfer the rice to the awaiting sheet tray. Toss and spread the rice evenly to cool and slow any further cooking.
- Garnish with green onion and cilantro. Taste for seasoning. Enjoy!