Since I published the Sticky Rice Stuffing, I’ve received so much positive feedback and lots of questions on how to cook it in an Instant Pot. After testing it out, I was surprised to find out that the Instant Pot version is so easy and the result turned out just as great.
Why this recipe?
The Instant Pot Chinese sausage rice is so simple to make that I would totally cook it on a busy weeknight. If you have an Instant Pot, I highly recommend using this version to make your cooking easier.
Chinese sausage rice ingredients
1. What is Chinese sausage (腊肠)?
Chinese sausage (腊肠, lap cheong) is made from fatty pork. It is normally smoked, sweetened, and seasoned with rose water, rice wine, and soy sauce. Once cooked with the rice, it becomes melt-in-your-mouth tender. The fat and sweetness melt into the gooey rice and taste so good.
2. Dried Shiitake mushrooms
I highly recommend using dried shiitake mushrooms because they have an intense smoky flavor that fresh ones do not have. However, if you prefer using fresh shiitake mushrooms, you can replace the dried mushrooms with 8 to 10 medium-sized fresh ones.
3. Sticky rice
4. Mise en place
When you’re ready to cook, you should have the shiitake mushrooms soaked and sliced. The other ingredients should be chopped and measured out.
How to make instant pot Chinese sausage rice
That’s it! It is super easy to prepare. The rice will come out tender and gooey, soaked with rich sauces and the fat from the sausage, with a slightly charred bottom.
4. Easy clean up
When I cook Chinese sausage rice on the stovetop, the bottom of the rice usually gets burned (due to the soy sauce). However, I found that the Instant Pot version doesn’t have this issue. The bottom of the rice will brown, but you can easily scrape it off using a wooden spatula. If your rice doesn’t come off easily, simply soak the pot in hot water before scrubbing.
Frequently asked questions
Why does the instant pot keep showing “burn food” error? I’ve gotten this question quite a few times, but unfortunately I was never able to recreate it when I was testing the recipe. Over the years, I have used 3 different generations of Instant Pot. I suspect that it may show the “burn food” warning if you did not scrape the brown bits off completely after deglazing the pan with Shaoxing wine. During my latest cooking experience, I did find that it is best to not brown the shallot and sausage too much, so the bottom of the pot does not get too charred. And it will not affect the flavor of the finished dish. Why did the bottom of the rice burn? It is quite normal if the bottom of the rice gets browned because of the soy sauce and the sticky texture of the rice. Depending on the type of glutinous rice you use, you might get different results. For example, this recipe specifically uses short grain glutinous rice. If you use long grain glutinous rice, you might need to add 1/2 cup of chicken broth because long grain rice absorbs liquid differently. I also found that after I upgraded my Instant Pot to the newer version, the result is much better. I noticed that the latest Instant Pot is heavier and distributes heat better. When I used my old IP, the bottom of the rice might burn a little (but could be easily cleaned off). And when I use the new IP, the rice is beautifully charred without any burning at all. Can I replace the water chestnuts with other vegetables? Yes! The water chestnuts are sweet and crunchy, adding a nice texture to the dish. But you can also use bamboo shoots or carrots in their place. Can I use a pressure cooker to cook this dish? Yes! Make sure you use no higher than medium heat when adding the pressure, then turn to low heat once pressure is added. This will prevent the bottom of the rice from burning.
Afterthoughts
I love receiving requests and questions from you, the reader, because it makes me think outside the box and improve my recipes. This Instant Pot Chinese sausage rice is a great example of a recipe developed in response to readers’ requests. I would not have imagined I could cook glutinous rice in an Instant Pot without soaking. But from now on, this will be my go-to method.
More Instant Pot recipes
Instant Pot Pork Ribs (Chinese-Style) Instant Pot Bolognese (Hong Kong Style) Instant Pot Oxtail Soup Asian-Style Instant Pot Pulled Pork Asian Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup Instant Pot Eggs (Perfect Hard-Boiled & Soft-Boiled Eggs)
