Mother's Mui Fan

Author & Photographer: Hsin Min Zee

Alright. I’m going to be honest with you. I don’t really know how to cook. I know, it’s ridiculous. We are on the *Bite* Blog. But hey, I’m here to take the bites, not to make ‘em. That being said, there are some things that are worth changing for. And one of those things is my mother’s Mui Fan (烩饭), aka risotto, as Google Translate tells me. This dish is so easy, even I couldn’t mess it up.

So here’s the deal with Mui Fan: It’s not really risotto. The gravy is cooked separately from the rice, and only poured over the rice before the dish is served. In addition to the rice and gravy, there’s meat, eggs, seafood, and vegetables. It’s a steamy, warm dish perfect for the dark Chicago winters we know and fear. It’s comfort food that would put mac and cheese to shame.

My mother’s version of Mui Fan is a little different from the ones you’ll find in most restaurants. Instead of gravy, the rice goes with soup. I like this better -- the dish is lighter and far more drinkable. This also makes it great for when you’re feeling under the weather, and for when you want something that’s clean but still tasty.


Preparation time: 15-20 minutes

Cook time: 10 minutes

Servings: 3

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/3 cup rice

  • ½ cup pork, slices

  • 1 tsp sesame oil

  • 1 tsp light soy sauce

  • 3 tbsp olive oil

  • 3 cloves garlic, minced

  • ½ large onion, diced

  • ½ cup fish, sliced

  • 6 prawns, peeled

  • 2 tbsp chinese cooking wine

  • 2 cups chicken stock (or 2 cups of water and 1 chicken stock cube)

  • 1 cup leafy green vegetables (e.g. bok choy), chopped

  • 1 egg, beaten

  • 2 tbsp water

  • 1 tbsp corn flour

  • 1 pinch white pepper

Procedure:

  1. Cook rice.

  2. In a small bowl, mix 1 tsp of sesame oil and 1 tsp of light soy sauce with the sliced pork.

  3. Put a deep pan (or pot) over medium heat, and pour 3 tbsp of olive oil into the pan.

  4. Fry garlic and onions together in the oil.

  5. Once the garlic begins to brown and the onions turn transparent, add the sliced pork into the pan. Stir until the pork is cooked.

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6. Add the fish, prawns, and 2 tbsp of chinese cooking wine into the pan. Gently mix.

7. Add 2 cups of chicken stock to the pan, and bring to a boil over high heat.

8. Stir in the vegetables.

9. Add the beaten egg and fold around to scramble.

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10. In a small bowl, mix 2 tbsp of water with 1 tbsp of corn flour. Pour the mixture into the pan.

11. Add a pinch of white pepper.

12. Serve with the soup over the rice.

There we have it! See, it really wasn’t so difficult now was it? Thanks Mama Zee!

Melanie WangrecipesComment