cured rice recipe

How to Make Chinese Lap Mei Fan: A Step-by-Step Guide

Lap Mei Fan, or Chinese cured meat rice, is a flavorful, comforting dish popular during winter. Made with preserved meats like lap cheong (Chinese sausage), lap yuk (bacon), and dried duck, it’s a savory one-pot meal that’s surprisingly simple to prepare. Here’s a basic guide to get you started.

First, gather ingredients: 2 cups rice, 100g lap cheong, 100g lap yuk, dried shiitake mushrooms, shallots, and soy sauce. Soak mushrooms in warm water for 20 minutes until soft, then slice. Chop lap cheong and lap yuk into small pieces.

Next, rinse rice and cook in a rice cooker with water (use 1:1.5 rice-to-water ratio). While rice cooks, heat a pan with a little oil. Sauté shallots until fragrant, then add lap cheong and lap yuk. Stir-fry for 2 minutes until the oils release. Add mushrooms and a splash of soy sauce, cook for 1 more minute.

Once the rice is 80% cooked, mix the meat and mushroom mixture into the rice. Close the lid and let it steam until fully cooked. For extra flavor, drizzle with sesame oil or top with a fried egg before serving.

This dish is best enjoyed hot, with the rich, smoky aroma of the cured meats infusing every grain of rice. Customize it with ingredients like dried shrimp or Chinese cabbage for added texture. A true taste of tradition!