Flavored Fragrant Rice

Ingredients
8 large dried shiitake mushrooms
300 g rice
30 g dried shrimp
300 g cabbage
150 g roast pork, slice thickly
4 shallots
4 cloves garlic
1 Tbsp sesame oil
1 Tbsp oyster sauce
1 Tbsp shaoxing wine (optional)
1 Tbsp light soya sauce
1/2 Tbsp dark soya sauce
1/2 tsp white pepper, to taste
1 Tbsp oil
450-500 ml unsalted chicken stock or water
chopped fresh coriander for garnish

Method
1. Rinse mushrooms and soak in hot water for 20 minutes, or till mushrooms soften. Wash the rice and drain. Rinse dried shrimps, remove bits of shells and leave aside.

2. Core cabbage and cut into 2 cm-wide ribbons. Slice shallots thinly, finely chop garlic. Mix sesame oil, oyster sauce, wine, soya sauces and pepper in a small bowl and set aside.

3. Squeeze water out of mushrooms gently, cut off and discard tough stems. Slice mushrooms thickly and set aside.

4. Heat oil in a large frying pan or wok over medium high heat. Add dried shrimps and fry till fragrant. Add shallots and fry till soft. Include mushrooms and garlic. Fry the ingredients for one minute or so before adding cabbage. When it has soften, add sesame oil, sauces and seasonings.

5. Add rice, stir to coat the grains with the seasonings. Mix in the roast pork.

6. Scoop rice mixture into a rice cooker, pat down gently, and add enough chicken stock or water to cover rice. Cook rice as directed in the rice cooker manual. Leave rice to warm for 10 minutes. Scoop into bowls or plates. Top with chopped coriander and serve. Sufficient for 4 to 5 servings.

Tip
If you do not have a rice cooker, step 6 can be completed using a covered saucepan over a stove. Bring rice to a rolling boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, or until rice is almost dry. Turn the heat off. Leave it to completely dry out for 10 minutes before serving rice.