Oil rice(油飯 io-png) is a simple and traditional old-time(古早味 koo-tsa-bi) Taiwanese dish. It is popularly made for Qixi festival(七娘媽生 tshit-niu-ma-senn / 七夕 tshit-siah).

Oil rice is commonly made with long-grain sticky rice(長糯米). Short-grain sticky rice(圓糯米) can be used, though it is more common in sweet dishes. Sticky rice doesn’t need to soak before cooking, but soaking it helps it cook evenly. It is traditionally cooked in a lined steamer basket, though cooking it in a pot or rice cooker will also work.

Oil rice ingredients vary, but it often includes mushroom, ginger, shallot, dried shrimp(蝦米), and pork(五花肉). Common seasonings include soy sauce, rice wine, five spice powder, and white pepper. Occasionally chestnut is added.

Recipe

Ingredients

• 4 cup long-grain sticky rice(長糯米), optionally soaked 1 hour to overnight and drained [substitute short-grain sticky rice(圓糯米)]
• 1 – 2 shallot(蔥頭), peeled and thinky sliced
• ¼ cup ginger(老姜), peeled and thinly sliced
• 4 dried shiitake(幹香菇), soaked and drained and thinly sliced
• 4 tbsp sesame oil(麻油)
• 1 cup cooking rice wine(米酒)
• 2 tbsp soy sauce(豆油)[醬油 / 生抽]
• ½ tsp white pepper powder(白胡椒粉)
• 1 tbsp sesame seed(芝麻), toasted (optional)

Directions

• steam sticky rice until cooked, about 30 minutes
• let sit, covered, about 10 minutes
• sauté sesame oil, shallot, ginger until lightly browned
• add shiitake
• add rice wine, soy sauce
• simmer until somewhat thickened, 5 to 10 minutes
• combine rice, sauce mixture, white pepper powder, sesame seed
• serve