Here is a family favorite adapted from recipes of family members and other research. It is pretty close to one of the dishes we enjoy every year at our Thanksgiving feast in the San Francisco area brought by sister-in-law Mabel from Hong Kong or another family member.
The key ingredient is sticky rice. There are several kinds of sticky rice or glutinous rice. I am attaching a link here if you are interested. http://www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glutinous_rice
I confess I have made it maybe 5-6 times now and the recipe changes a little each time. I use "sweet rice" at the suggestion of my cousin-in-law Jane for several reasons but am told by my sister-in-law that this not true naw mai fan which uses a different variety of rice sold as "glutinous rice" and is steamed for a longer period. I tried it that way the first time I made it and have switched to "sweet" which can be boiled in a pan or rice cooker with less work and good results. It took me about 2 hours all together and has made about 6 servings.
3 cups sweet rice rinsed very well to remove starch.
6 Chinese sausage (Lop Cheung), (not the kind with liver)
2-3 Green onions/scallions washed and sliced small
3 oz or 1/2 cup dried shrimp
18 Dried black mushrooms or a hand full of dried sliced shitake mushrooms
1 tspn sugar
Liquid ingredients:
3 TBspns reserved water from soaked mushrooms
3 TBspns Soy sauce
2 TBspns Rice wine or pale dry sherry
1 TBspn Sesame oil
1 TBspn Oyster or fish sauce
Soak the mushrooms and shrimp with warm/hot water to cover in separate bowls for 1 hr.
Meanwhile boil the 6 sausage for 20-30 minutes, carefully remove and cut in quarters lengthwise then in 1/4 inch pieces.
Drain the mushrooms remove stems and slice into small strips (save the liquid)
Drain the shrimp and rinse well.
Cook the rice in rice cooker or 2 qt saucepan with equal parts water, covered for 20 minutes or until done (if in pan start on boil and reduce to low)
Simmer the liquid ingredients and the sugar while the rice is cooking not to reduce but to cook off the alcohol.
Place all of the rice, mushrooms, shrimp, green onions in a large mixing bowl begin to mix then pour the liquid ingredients all around and continue to mix thoroughly.
Transfer to serving bowl and garnish with Chinese parsley/cilantro if desired.
I have heard some people add peanuts or chestnuts (not water chestnuts) but I have not tasted or cooked it this way.
We have had this as a simple dinner by itself or as one of many banquet items.
