SERVES 2-3 as a Main Entree OR 4-6 as a Side Dish
For a one-page version of this recipe, see my: Savory Sticky Rice with Pork & Mushrooms.
First, prepare your ingredients. For this recipe you will need:
- 2 cups Thai sticky rice (also called "sweet rice" or "glutinous rice")
- 5 regular strips bacon (OR 3 thickly-cut strips)
- 1/3 cup diced shallots OR purple onion
- 1 cup shiitake mushroom, diced
- 1 tsp. minced garlic (about 3 cloves)
- 1 red chili, finely sliced, OR 1/2 tsp. dried crushed chili OR cayenne
- 1 + 1/2 Tbsp. fish sauce
- 1 + 1/2 tsp. dark soy sauce, OR 2 more Tbsp. regular soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp. regular soy sauce
- 3 spring onions, sliced
- 1 package banana leaves (available frozen at most Asian stores), OR cheesecloth
Soak the Sticky Rice.
Cover 2 cups sticky rice with an inch of water. Leave to soak at least 30 minutes. (Note that sticky rice has a hard outing coating that requires soaking, otherwise you will end up with hard rice.)
Fry a Few Strips of Bacon.
Place 5 strips of regular bacon (OR 3 thickly-sliced strips) in a frying pan or wok (here I'm using local organic bacon). Add a little water to get the bacon frying, then fry 5-8 minutes, or until bacon is cooked (chewy rather than crisp). Remove bacon and slice it into small pieces. Pour off half of the bacon fat, reserving the remainder in the pan (this will help flavor the rice).
Add the Vegetables.
Return the bacon to the pan. Also add 1/3 cup shallots or purple onion, 1 cup diced mushrooms, 1 tsp. garlic, 1 sliced red chili (or 1/2 tsp. crushed chili), and 1 of the sliced spring onions. Stir-fry over medium-high heat 2-3 minutes, or until mushrooms are cooked.
Add the Rice and Sauces.
Now add the drained sticky rice, plus 1 Tbsp. soy sauce, 1 + 1/2 Tbsp fish sauce, and 1 + 1/2 tsp. dark soy sauce (OR 2 more Tbsp. regular soy sauce). Stir-fry briefly to combine. Remove from heat.
Prepare Your Steamer.
Prepare a bamboo steamer, or use a colander placed inside a pot (as shown here). Line the colander or steamer with banana leaves OR cheesecloth. If using frozen banana leaves, either allow to thaw 30 minutes, or quickly rinse under hot water to soften them.
Line the Colander with Banana Leaves (or Cheesecloth).
If using banana leaves, cut them into sheets using scissors. Two layers is best.
Place Rice in Prepared Colander/Steamer.
Turn the sticky rice into your prepared colander or steamer.
If there is extra leaf at the top of your colander, gently fold it down over the sticky rice. Make sure there is at least 1 inch of water in the bottom of your pot. Now cover the colander with a tight-fitting lid and steam the sticky rice on high heat 30 to 35 minutes, or until rice turns translucent and is soft and sticky to taste. Check the water in the pot from time to time, topping up when necessary.
Top the sticky rice with the remaining sliced spring onions, plus extra red chili and basil if desired. To pretty up the dish, place a fresh banana leaf inside a serving bowl or on a serving platter, and mound the sticky rice on top. (To bring out the green of the banana leaf, rinse under hot water). ENJOY!