Ooof, how I love loh mai fan or Chinese fried glutinous (sticky) rice!
Unlike loh mai kai, which is steamed until soft, loh mai fan is stir-fried, giving the rice more bite and a deeper, savoury character. Made with Chinese sausage, dried shrimp, shiitake mushrooms, and aromatics, it’s an umami bomb that’s worth every bit of chopping, soaking, and sautéing involved.
Both mum and dad have cooked it before, but extremely rarely because the preparation involves numerous steps. Every ingredient must be chopped, diced, or pre-cooked.
Meet “sang chow”, the method of making loh mai fan by frying from “raw”
Since I could not recall watching the cooking process from memory, I turned to youtube.
1) you steam the glutinous rice first, then stir-fry it.
2) you do a “sang chow”, or fry the rice from a raw uncooked state.
Daredevil that I was, I decided to go for the riskier way (no 2) because it saves me one extra step.
I was nervous as heck making this. Would the rice stick to the wok like beehoon and burn? How would I know if the rice was cooked or not while stir-frying it? What if I screwed things up, and wasted an entire morning of chopping and dicing?
Loh mai fan requires enough chopping and dicing to make your arms fall off… but the results are worth every effort
But the intrepid explorer in me said, don’t fear the unknown Bunny. Everything will be all right.
I wanted to cry after making it. Ask my husband. I sat frozen in shock digesting the surreal fact that my first ever loh mai fan turned out well, in fact more delicious than I dared imagine. Except next time, I would let the rice steam a little longer.
Enjoy the process!
Try this claypot chicken rice dish as well – it’s another flavour bomb!
Loh Mai Fan (Chinese Fried Sticky Rice)
A classic dim sum favourite, this hearty glutinous rice dish is stir-fried with crispy dried shrimp, fried shallots, roast peanuts and other umami condiments.
Equipment
- wok
Ingredients
- 1 cup glutinous rice, soaked in water minimum 5 hours and drained
- 4 dried shitake mushrooms, soaked in water and chopped (reserve water)*
- 2 tbsp dried shrimp, soaked in water and roughly chopped (reserve water)*
- 1/2 Chinese sausage (lap cheong), diced into small cubes*
- 4 shallots, sliced thinly
- 3 garlic cloves, diced finely
- 1/2 inch ginger, grated
- 1 tbsp light soya sauce
- 1/2 tbsp dark soya sauce
- 1 tbsp peanuts, pounded roughly
- 1/2 stalk spring onion, chopped
- cooking oil for frying
Instructions
- Heat up 2 tbs oil in wok and put in shallots. Keep your heat low so that the shallots have time to infuse the oil with its aroma without burning. Once golden brown, remove shallots and drain on paper towel.
- In the same oil, add in Chinese sausage. Fry over medium-low heat to allow its fats to render into the oil and make it flavourful without burning. When sausage starts to char lightly, remove from heat.
- In the same oil, put in dried prawns. Make sure you pat prawns dry first or else it will splatter violently! Use a wok cover to shield yourself if necessary. Fry until dried prawns are crispy and fragrant but NOT burnt – use your nose to guide you. Usually, when the prawns start to foam, it means the prawns are almost done. Remove prawns.
- In the now super flavourful oil, add garlic, ginger and mushrooms and stir-fry for 1-2 minutes.
- Add the rice and toss to mix thoroughly with the flavoured oil for 1-2 minutes. Don’t worry, the rice won’t stick to the wok (even though the other name for glutinous rice is sticky rice).
- Now it's time to steam the rice. Sprinkle 2 tbs of the reserved mushroom and shrimp soaking water over the rice, then cover with a lid for ½ minute to 1 minute. Open the lid and give the rice a few stirs to ensure the rice is not burnt at the bottom. Repeat the same action (sprinkle water, cover with lid, after 30 seconds open lid and stir a bit) a few times until rice is fully cooked. You will be able to tell when you use your spatula to move the rice around and the rice feels heavier.
- Now add the light and dark soya sauce, dried shrimp and lap cheong. Mix thoroughly to coat every grain.
- Taste to see if rice is cooked to your liking. If you prefer the rice to be softer, add more water and continue the same process until the rice achieves your desired texture.
- Dish up and sprinkle with chopped spring onion and fried shallots. Delish!
Notes
Loh Mai Fan - Quick FAQ
1. What is loh mai fan?
Loh mai fan (糯米饭) is a savoury fried glutinous rice dish made with Chinese sausage, dried shrimp, shiitake mushrooms, and aromatics. Unlike loh mai kai (which is steamed until soft), loh mai fan is stir-fried, giving it more bite and a deeper umami flavour.
2. What’s the difference between loh mai fan and loh mai kai?
Loh mai fan → Stir-fried; rice has more bite
Loh mai kai → Steamed; rice is softer and stickier. Same ingredients, but different textures and techniques.
3. Do I need to soak glutinous rice? How long?
Yes. Soak the rice for at least 5-6 hours, ideally overnight. Well-soaked rice cooks evenly and is less likely to turn chalky or hard in the centre.
4. Should I steam the rice first or fry from raw (“sang chow”)?
Both methods can be used:
Steam first, then stir-fry → more beginner-friendly
Sang chow (fry raw rice) → riskier but saves a step
Your recipe uses the second method. It works beautifully with careful heat control and gradual hydration.
5. How much water should I use to soak mushrooms and dried shrimp?
Chinese cooking is all about agak-agak. Rule of thumb: just enough water to cover the mushrooms/shrimp. They will absorb water as they soften — that’s all you need.
6. How should I prep the lap cheong?
Lap cheong varies in hardness. Chicken lap cheong is healthier but firmer. Pork lap cheong is fattier and softer. If your sausage is firm, soak it in hot water for 15 minutes to soften, remove casing, then slice into quarters lengthwise and dice into small pieces.
7. Should I fry the dried shrimp, shallots, and lap cheong together?
You can, but frying them separately is safer — especially if you’re new to Chinese cooking. Each ingredient cooks at a different pace, so frying separately reduces the risk of burning. Once you’re confident, feel free to combine them.
8. How do I know when ingredients are cooked properly?
This dish relies heavily on sight and smell — classic Chinese feeling cooking. Shallots should be golden but not burnt. Lap cheong should release oil and smell fragrant. Dried shrimp should be crunchy and aromatic. Mushrooms should be soft and bouncy. On a difficulty scale, this recipe is intermediate — but you might surprise yourself!
9. How do I prevent the rice from sticking or burning when frying raw?
Use a well-seasoned wok or non-stick pan
Keep heat medium-low
Add water gradually (1–2 tbsp at a time)
Stir gently and consistently
Don’t overcrowd the pan
Make sure the rice is well-soaked beforehand
10. How do I know if the rice is cooked?
Signs the rice is ready: Grains turn translucent. No chalky centre when bitten. Texture is bouncy and tender. Rice loosens easily without clumping. If unsure, add a splash of water and cover to steam briefly.
11. Why does loh mai fan turn hard or chalky?
Likely causes: Rice wasn’t soaked long enough. Too little water added during “fry-steam-fry”. Heat too high, or not steamed long enough (for the steam-first method)
12. Why does loh mai fan turn mushy?
Too much water added at once, stirring too vigorously, using poor-quality glutinous rice, or over-steaming. Water must be added slowly and only as needed.
13. How do I reheat leftover loh mai fan?
Best methods: Steam for 10 minutes; stir-fry with a splash of water, or microwave with a damp towel (less ideal but works).
Avoid reheating dry — glutinous rice becomes tough without moisture.
14. Can beginners try the “fry raw rice” method?
Yes — but be patient, control the heat, and add moisture slowly. If you’re anxious, start with the steam-first method, then graduate to the sang chow technique once you’re confident.
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