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Sekai Gohan
Xôi Chiên: Saigon Fried Sticky Rice Cakes with Pork
Ingredients
| Ingredient | Amount | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Glutinous rice (gạo nếp) | 1 lb 2 oz (500 g) | The cake itself: crisp outside, chewy inside |
| Water for cooking the rice | As needed, to just cover the rice | Cooks the rice without leaving it wet |
| Ground pork (thịt xay) | 7 oz (200 g) | The heart of the filling |
| Dried wood ear mushroom (mộc nhĩ) | ⅓ oz (10 g) | Gives the filling its snap |
| Onion (hành tây) | ½ | Sweetness and moisture in the filling |
| Shallot (hành khô) | 1 | Aroma in the filling |
| Salt or fish sauce (nước mắm) | ⅔ tsp salt or 1 tsp fish sauce | Seasons the filling; use one, not both |
| Mai Quế Lộ wine (optional) | 1 tbsp | Adds aroma to the filling |
| Neutral vegetable oil (dầu ăn) | 2 tbsp for pan-frying, plus a little for the filling | Fries the cakes and the filling |
| Chili sauce (tương ớt) | To taste | Sharp, hot finish that cuts the richness |
Steps
1Rinse the rice
Put the glutinous rice in a bowl, cover it with water and swirl it with your hand. Pour off the cloudy water and repeat two or three times. Do not soak the rice; it goes straight into the cooker. Tip it into a colander once the rinsing water runs nearly clear.
2Cook the rice in the rice cooker
Put the drained rice in the cooker and add water until it just covers the rice: touch the surface of the rice with a fingertip and the water should sit only a little above it. Start the cooker; it takes 20–25 minutes, and you can give the rice one stir after 10 minutes if you like. When the cooker switches to warm, leave the lid closed for another 10 minutes. The rice is ready when the grains are glossy and tacky, cling together in a soft mass and no water is left in the pot.
3Soak the mushroom and chop the aromatics
Cover the dried wood ear with boiling water and leave it for about 10 minutes. Meanwhile chop the onion and the shallot very finely. Drain the mushroom, trim any hard knots and chop it just as finely. The mushroom is ready when it is soft, glossy and bends without any stiff spots; small, even pieces stay put inside the rice later.
4Mix and season the filling
Put the chopped mushroom, onion and shallot in a bowl with the ground pork. Add either ⅔ tsp salt or 1 tsp fish sauce, plus the Mai Quế Lộ if you are using it. Mix with a spoon until the pork breaks apart and the vegetables are spread through it. Stop when the mixture looks evenly speckled with dark mushroom and pale onion, with no lumps of plain meat.
5Stir-fry the filling
Heat a little oil in the frying pan over medium heat and add the pork mixture. Stir and break it up as it cooks, letting the juices bubble away. Keep going until the pork has lost all its pink, the pan is moist but not soupy. Cook until the center of the meat reaches 167°F (75°C) and holds there for at least 1 minute, then move the filling to a bowl and keep it warm.
6Shape the rice into flat rounds
Scoop ½ cup (120 ml) of the warm rice for each cake. Roll it into a ball, then press it into a flat round. Leave it thick, about 1 inch (2.5 cm), if you want to cut a pocket later, or press it thinner if you want to fold it in half around the filling. The cakes are shaped when the edges are smooth and the rounds hold together when lifted.
7Chill the cakes to dry the surface
Set the cakes on a plate without touching, cover them loosely with plastic wrap and put them straight into the refrigerator for about 15 minutes. This step is optional, and worth doing. It dries the surface so the cakes fry more easily and spatter less, and it keeps the cooked rice out of room temperature. They are ready when the tops look slightly dry and matte rather than wet and shiny.
8Pan-fry until golden on both sides
Heat 2 tbsp oil in the low-sided pan over medium heat and lay in the cakes with space between them. Leave them alone while the undersides fry; small bubbles will gather around the edges. Turn each cake once the underside is golden brown and crisp, and fry the second side the same way. They are done when both faces are deep gold.
9Open, fill and serve hot
For thick cakes, cut a slit sideways through the middle and open it like a book, keeping one edge joined. For thin cakes, fold them in half to make a pocket. Spoon in the warm filling, drizzle chili sauce over the top and serve at once. The cake is right when the shell crackles under the knife and the rice inside is still soft and steaming.