Dad’s Steam Sticky Rice

I’ve been wanting to learn to make this with my mom and dad for awhile. It was one of those dishes that we rarely had, but was so good. It wasn’t that labour intensive to make. I had the general idea, but wasn’t sure of the execution. So, I called my dad up yesterday morning to see if I could come over and he would teach me. I bought a what he didn’t have and came over after breakfast. My boys wanted my cousin to come with us for breakfast, but I knew she was busy baking my Chinese Steam Egg Cake recipe I typed up last week. I messaged her anyway as the kids were pretty insistent. As I dropped off some ingredients at my dad’s before breakfast she happened to pop out of her parents house and said she would meet us there. I invited her to join me and my dad to cook with us this afternoon.

I’m always happy to have her near, but I must admit, a piece of me wish she wasn’t. She did most of the prep work and helped clean, but my dad gave her instructions rather then me. I know she just wanted to help. But, my dad talks a lot nicer to her then he would have with me. And rather then me and my dad having an afternoon moment to share, it was her and him and I felt like the observer. When he walked her out when she left he told her SHE did a good job on the food and it tasted good. I know my dad loves me. He’s alot harder on me I guess because I’m his daughter. She did have the grace to include me when she said he taught her AND me. I’m being jealous and pregnantly overly sensitive. I will still invite her the next time. She is my like my sister. I just wish I could have that with my dad. We have something else. More than niece and uncle.

To end on a more brighter note, during our family dinner I was leaving and he gave me a complement…well, as good as I’m going to get in our family way.

Dad: your cake wasn’t bad (refering to my steam cake last week)
Me: I’m glad you liked it
Dad: I didn’t say I liiiiked it. I said it wasn’t bad.

We all laughed. That is my family.

Ingredients

sticky rice
chicken (used 2 thighs), sliced small pieces
dried Chinese sausage, rinse then slice on an angle
5 dried Chinese mushroom, 5 dried Chinese dates, small bunch dried Chinese lilly flower soak in hot water (you can add as much or little as you want in relation to how much you are making and preference)
4 heaping tsp cornstarch
1 tsp sugar
3 cups sticky rice
2 cups regular rice
ground pork
green onions

Instructions

soak dried ingredients (until softened, ~15-30 minutes), slice mushrooms, 1-1.5 inches for lilly flower, and 2-3 pieces for each dried date
after slicing chicken, season with salt and let sit for 2 minutes
add oyster sauce, soya sauce, oil to chicken and mix
mix corn startch and sugar in a bowl with a little cold water
add corn starch slurry to chicken and mix
brown ground pork (used 1/4 pound ground pork, could use more or less depending how much meat you want. we have quite a bit of chicken, so adding less ground pork)
mix sticky and regular rice together in bowl you will steam in, wash and and drain
add water until 1 inch (first knuckle of middle finger) of water above top of rice. since adding chicken, mushrooms, etc., only add 1/2 inch of water (1/2 of first knuckle of middle finger) above rice. Optional – add a 1/2-1 tsp of salt to the rice and stir
To cook:
1. steam rice, when half way done top with chicken and veggies
2. OR mix veggies and chicken together before topping the rice
3. we mixed the ground pork and half the Chinese sausage in the rice before steaming. then will top with meat/veggie mixture
steam for 20 minutes, add meat/veggie mixture
check on in 20 minutes
cook 10 minutes more
Optional sauce – heat oil, add to soya sauce, oyster sauce, a bit of sugar. can top cooked rice by the tsp

Notes:

black Chinese fungus
if you want softer rice – put less regular rice, i.e. in stead of 3:2, 4:1
could soak rice over night and steam the next day
Meat topping options
- dried Chinese sausage (lap cheurng)
- dried Chinese pork belly
- sliced chicken
- ground meat
- dried Chinese shitake mushrooms
- dried Chinese black fungus
- dried scallops