24th
Chinese Rice Hotpot
Chinese Rice Hotpot (for lack of a better name, despite my lack of hotpot)
2 links lap cheong (Chinese sausage), sliced into thin rounds
2 cloves garlic, minced
a small lump of ginger, minced or grated
10 dried shiitake mushrooms, reconstituted in hot water
1 1/3 cups rice
2 cups chopped Napa cabbage or bok choy or whatever you’ve got
1 tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp sesame oil
3 to 3 1/2 cups hot water
1. Strain mushrooms through paper-towel-lined strainer, reserving liquid. Slice mushrooms.
2. In a large skillet that you can later cover, add sliced sausage and turn heat to medium. Let sausage color and render out its fat, a matter of a few minutes, then remove sausage with slotted spoon. Add garlic and ginger to rendered fat, and let cook for a minute (watch the pan—don’t let ‘em burn). Add sliced mushrooms and cook for a few minutes.
3. Add rice, cabbage, soy and sesame, toss to coat rice, and let cook for a minute. Add enough hot water to strained mushroom-soaking liquid to make up 4 cups in total. Pour liquid into pan, and taste for seasoning (it’ll probably need salt, especially if you use low-sodium soy sauce). Bring to a boil, cover, and cook over low heat for 25 minutes.
4. Stir rice with a fork, check for doneness and seasoning, and serve, drizzling a little more sesame oil over top at the table.
