Chinese sausage rice - 腊肠饭 - rice with sausage

Ingredients

• 4Chinese sausages (lap cheong), or lap yuk/bacon
• 1carrot
• 4shiitake mushrooms
• 2spring onions
• 350 grice
• 400 mlwater
• 1½ tbsplight soy sauce
• ½ tbspdark soy sauce
• ½ tbspoyster sauce
• 1 tbspShaoxing rice wine
• 2 tspsesame oil
• ½ tsppepper

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare ingredients

   Rinse the sausages and slice them. Dice the carrot, slice the shiitake mushrooms and finely chop the spring onions. Rinse the rice.

2. 2

   Cook the rice

   Put the rice and 400 ml water in a pan and cook until the water is level with the rice.

3. 3

   Add the toppings

   Spoon the sausage, shiitake and carrot over the rice. Cover the pan and cook over a low heat for 10 minutes.

4. 4

   Let it stand

   Take the pan off the heat and leave it covered for another 5 minutes.

5. 5

   Mix the sauce

   In a bowl, combine the light and dark soy sauces with the oyster sauce, rice wine, sesame oil and pepper. Stir in the spring onion, then mix the sauce through the rice and serve.

What is Chinese sausage rice?

Chinese sausage rice, or 腊肠饭, is a simple rice dish built around lap cheong, a sweet-savoury cured sausage. Versions of sausage-topped rice are associated with Chinese home cooking, where rice and toppings cook together so their flavours mingle.

Here, shiitake and carrot join the sausage, and a seasoned sauce is stirred through at the end. Cooking the toppings over the rice keeps the method straightforward and lets their savoury juices season the grains.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 1750 calories, 0g protein, 0g carbs, 0g fat.

The rice supplies most of the carbohydrates, while the sausage and sesame oil contribute much of the fat; the sausage also provides protein. For a more balanced plate, serve a portion with extra vegetables on the side.

Choosing the ingredients

Sausage: Lap cheong brings a sweet, savoury flavour and releases some fat as it cooks. Lap yuk or bacon can be used as the recipe's alternatives, though they will give the dish a different flavour.

Rice: Rinse it before cooking to remove loose surface starch. The recipe does not specify a rice variety, so use the type you have and pay attention to the water level as it cooks.

Shiitake and carrot: Slice the mushrooms and dice the carrot so they sit evenly over the rice. Their different textures add contrast to the soft grains.

Build the rice base

Water level: Cook the rinsed rice with the measured water until the water sits level with the rice. Keep an eye on the pan rather than relying on a fixed initial cooking time, as the recipe gives no time for this stage.

Gentle heat: Once the toppings are added, cover the pan and cook on low for 10 minutes. A steady, gentle heat helps the rice finish cooking without scorching the bottom.

Check the finish

Rest: Leave the pan off the heat for 5 minutes after cooking. This gives the rice time to settle before you mix in the sauce.

Texture: The rice should be tender, and the carrot and mushrooms should be cooked through. If the grains are still firm, the recipe does not specify an additional cooking time, so check the rice before serving.

Season at the end

Sauce: Mix both soy sauces, oyster sauce, rice wine, sesame oil and pepper in a bowl before adding the spring onion. This makes it easier to distribute the seasonings evenly through the rice.

Finish: Fold the sauce through after the resting period, then serve. Adding it at this point keeps the method distinct from cooking the rice and toppings together.

Make it a meal

The rice, sausage, mushrooms and carrot make this a filling one-pan meal. Serve it on its own or add a simple vegetable side if you would like more variety on the plate.

Keep any side lightly seasoned, since the soy and oyster sauces already bring savoury flavour to the rice.

Recipe notes & tips

• Rinse the rice before cooking, as directed, to clear away loose surface starch.
• Slice the sausage evenly so the pieces cook at a similar rate.
• Keep the pan covered during the 10-minute low-heat cooking stage.
• Chop the spring onions finely so they mix evenly into the sauce.
• Rest the rice off the heat for the full 5 minutes before adding the sauce.

Variations

• Use lap yuk: Swap in the suggested cured pork for a different savoury flavour.
• Try bacon: Use bacon in place of the Chinese sausage as the recipe allows.
• Add more carrot: Increase the diced carrot for a more vegetable-forward bowl.
• Change the mushrooms: Use another mushroom variety if shiitake is unavailable.
• Adjust the pepper: Use less or more pepper to suit your preference.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Skipping the rinse: Rinse the rice before cooking, as the method specifies.
• Cooking too hot: Keep the pan on low once the toppings are added to help prevent scorching.
• Leaving the lid off: Cover the pan for the 10-minute cooking stage so the rice can cook as directed.
• Mixing the sauce in too early: Stir it through after the rice has rested off the heat for 5 minutes.
• Cutting uneven pieces: Slice the sausage and mushrooms evenly so the toppings cook consistently.

How to store

Cool leftovers promptly and store them in a covered container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat until piping hot, adding a small splash of water if the rice seems dry.

Frequently asked questions