Eight Treasure Rice Recipe
Source: The Heritage of Chinese Cooking
Serves 8
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This is the celebrated eight-treasure rice eaten at Chinese New Year. In the early days of the Han dynasty (202 BC-AD 220), rice was considered a delicacy as millet was the staple grain. Eight-treasure rice depicts the almost spiritual significance of rice to the Chinese people, bringing good fortune and blessings to all at the beginning of a New Year.
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RECIPE INGREDIENTS
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2 cups long-grain white rice
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3 cups glutinous rice
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2 tablespoons peanut oil
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6 Chinese dried mushrooms, soaked 20 minutes in warm water, squeezed dry, stemmed, caps finely diced
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2 dried Chinese sausages (lup chiang), diced
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1 boneless chicken thigh, diced
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1 tablespoon dried shrimp, soaked 20 minutes in warm water, drained
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1/2 cup lotus seeds, soaked in cold water 3-4 hours, drained
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1/2 cup diced onion
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1/2 cup diced bamboo shoots
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2 tablespoons light soy sauce
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1/2 teaspoon five spice powder
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2 teaspoons sesame oil
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1 teaspoon salt
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2 scallions, chopped
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| RECIPE METHOD
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Combine the rice and wash 3 times.
| Heat the peanut oil in a wok until almost smoking. Stir-fry the mushrooms, the Chinese sausages, chicken, dried shrimp, lotus seeds, onion, and bamboo shoots for 1-2 minutes. Add the soy sauce, five spice powder, sesame oil, and salt. Stir-fry to mix well.
| Bring the rice to a rapid boil and continue to cook by the absorption method. When most of the water has been absorbed, add the stir-fried ingredients, mixing them through the rice. Simmer, covered, on low heat for 20 minutes. Turn off the heat, and allow to stand for 10 minutes.
| TO SERVE:
Stir the rice with chopsticks, adding the chopped scallions. Remove the rice from the pot and pack into a lightly oiled bowl, pressing in firmly. (If preparing a day in advance, refrigerate in the bowl until just before needed.) Steam the rice in the bowl for 10 minutes, and invert to serve.
| Recipe reprinted by permission of Weldon Russell. All rights reserved.
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