La Chang Fan
Chinese Sausage Rice
A comforting and flavorful Cantonese dish featuring sweet and savory lap cheong (Chinese cured sausage) steamed directly over jasmine rice. The rendered fat from the sausage infuses the rice with its delicious essence, creating a simple yet satisfying meal. This recipe is perfect for a quick weeknight dinner.
🧂 Ingredients
- 2 cups Jasmine rice
- 3 Lap cheong (Chinese cured sausage)
- 2 heads Bok choy
- 2 cups Water
- 2 tbsp Soy sauce
- 1 tbsp Sesame oil
- 2 cups Water
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Rinse the jasmine rice under cold running water until the water runs clear. Drain well. Transfer the rinsed rice to a medium pot or rice cooker pot. Add the 2 cups of water for cooking the rice.
⏱️ 5 minutes - 2
Arrange the sliced lap cheong evenly over the surface of the rice and water. Ensure the pieces are not overlapping too much to allow for even steaming.
⏱️ 3 minutes - 3
Cover the pot tightly. If using a stovetop pot, bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 20-25 minutes, or until all the water is absorbed and the rice is cooked. If using a rice cooker, select the standard white rice setting. The sausage fat will render and drip into the rice as it cooks, infusing it with flavor.
⏱️ 20-25 minutes - 4
While the rice is cooking, prepare the bok choy. Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a separate pot or a wide pan. Add the bok choy and blanch for 1-2 minutes until the leaves are wilted and bright green, but still have a slight crispness. Immediately remove the bok choy and plunge into ice water to stop the cooking, then drain well.
⏱️ 5 minutes - 5
In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce and sesame oil to create the serving sauce. Adjust to your taste if desired.
⏱️ 1 minute - 6
Once the rice is cooked, fluff it gently with a fork. Serve the lap cheong and rice in bowls. Arrange the blanched bok choy alongside the rice. Drizzle the soy-sesame sauce over the rice and sausage just before serving.
⏱️ 1 minute
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓The rendered fat from the lap cheong is key to the dish's flavor; don't skip this step!
- ✓For a richer flavor, you can lightly pan-fry the lap cheong slices before placing them on the rice.
- ✓This dish is incredibly simple and satisfying, making it a perfect quick weeknight meal.
- ✓Ensure the rice is properly rinsed to remove excess starch, resulting in fluffy grains.
✨ Twist Ideas
Inspiration for your own version of this recipe
- Top with a fried or poached egg for added richness.
- Add sliced shiitake mushrooms or dried shiitake mushrooms (rehydrated) along with the sausage for extra umami.
- Include other vegetables like sliced carrots or snow peas during the last 5 minutes of steaming.
- A pinch of white pepper can be added to the serving sauce for a subtle kick.